Touch Down!!! - FWF 9-30

 

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a little bit different angle (for me) on an autumn card:  American football.  I have to say right off that we are not a sports family.  Period.  End of story.  (Actually, I did enjoy watching the Portland Trail Blazers when Aryvdas Sabonis was on the team and also will admit to checking in on the Zags now that one of the Sabonis sons plays for Gonzaga U....but neither of my guys was ever into it.  Go figure....Ha!) However, we do have some friends and relatives who enjoy sports and it seems like I am always scrambling around for a suitable masculine card when a birthday comes around.  Now I will have one.  :)

I still am challenging myself to use my neglected Unity grab bag stamps for the rest of the year's Friends with Flair entries.  This week's stamp has a decidedly sports feel to it:  "I'm your #1 fan".   I finally am getting enough Graphic 45 papers in my stash to be able to use them (instead of completely hoarding them) so I pulled out my Good Ol' Sport items and got to work.  I'm not sure what possessed me, but I decided to make a Gate Fold card......I think that is what this style is called.  (Please correct me, if it has a different name!!)

I was inspired by the current MFP Speed Fox & Friends challenge which asks us to use a die cut negative as a mask.  What an interesting technique!!!  I didn't have any place on the outside of the card to do this, but the inside was a blank canvas, so to speak.  I used a negative of my Memory Box - Gwyneth Flourish that I found in my scrap bag and used some Tea Dye Distress Ink to sponge some swirls for my autumn leaves to continue the fall theme I had begun on the front of the card.  What a fun effect!!!

 Here's a closer view of the center panel of the interior.  My Unity sentiment is stamped with Smokey Gray Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  The sponging was done right over the top of it.

  
I used some removable Zots to keep my card closed.  They make it easy to reopen and close.  Not sure what other people use for their gate-fold cards.  I didn't follow a tutorial for constructing this card because it seemed simple enough to figure out as I went.  I'm not sure I did it "right" but it seems to work, so I guess that's the main thing.  

Hope you enjoyed this card.  I am pretty proud of how well it turned out for my first attempt at this gate-fold style and also this new masking technique!  :)

Thanks for your visits and your comments.  Be sure to check out my GIVEAWAY in my Fall Coffee Lovers Bloghop posts here and here.  You still have a couple of days to enter!   

Have a wonderful mid-week!!!

<3
Janis 

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Unity - Friends with Flair 9-30
2.  MFP Speedy Fox & Friends Challenge #281 - Use Negative Die Cut as a Mask 
3.  The Male Room Challenge #20 - Autumn/Fall
4.  Simon Says Stamp Work-It Wednesday - Use a stamp
5.  DL.Art Thankful Thursday #165- Fall
6.  Try it on Tuesday - Autumn
7.  ChouxChoux Paper Art Challenge #1 - Fall or Halloween
8.  Verve September Inspiration Challenge - Autumn Lovelies
9.  Sweet Stamp Shop September Challenge - Anything Goes
10. The Paper Girls Challenge #88 - Sweater Weather
11. Stamped Blessings Amusing Challenge #22 - Anything Goes
12. All Sorts Challenge Week #330 - Numbers
13. Cards in Envy - Colors of Fall Challenge
14. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
15. Simply Create Too Challenge #95 - Autumn Splendor
16. Crop Stop Linky Party #8 - Anything Goes with product that CS sells (I used Graphic 45 papers.)
17. Cardz TV Designers Challenge #2 - Use an Autumn Motif (I used leaves and football.)
18. Skipping Stones Design Stamp and Share September Challenge - Inspiration Photo- (I was inspired by the blue door of this wonderful inspiration photo and used that idea for the blue Touch Down panel on my card.  The door also is perhaps where my idea to make a gate-fold card came from!  The vines inspired my autumn leaves.)


  

House Mouse Caffeine High + GIVEAWAY

Hi, Friends......

I am "squeaking" in with an entry for the Fall Coffee Lovers Bloghop just under the deadline to be eligible for one of the Flash Prize drawings.  :)  There are still several days to link up, but the Flash Prize entries have to be linked up today.

I used the adorable Stampendous - House Mouse Caffeine High stamp and I have an identical one to give away!  Yay!!  See below for details.  :)

I stamped my image on a scrap of "marker water" background with VersaFine Onyx Black ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  Then to accentuate my mice, I used my waterbrush to remove much of the pigment from the areas of the mice's skin.  I continued to use my waterbrush and watercolors to paint the image.

I splattered my card base with Perfect Pearls mist and added a scrap of K&Co. paper, a colorful leaf, and some pink shimmery raffia.  Love how this card turned out!!!

Okay, now for what you are really here for......

Giveaway Details:
I have an extra one of the House Mouse Caffeine High rubber cling stamps that I used in my card to give away.

TO ENTER:
1. Leave a comment on this post and/or any of my Fall Coffee Lovers Hop posts telling me your favorite flavor of coffee, tea, or cocoa. Or if you prefer one of those just plain, that's okay....tell that to me. My favorite is Hazelnut for coffee....oh, YUM!!! I love Hazelnut cocoa, too!!! I've never seen hazelnut tea, but I bet it would be good, too. :)
2. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, TOO. I am not always successful in tracking down my winners, and I would hate for you to miss out if you win!
3. Deadline for comments is: Friday, October 2nd @ 11:59 pm Pacific.
4. This giveaway is open to all my readers....international, included. :)

Hope you enjoyed my sweet little House Mouse card, today.

<3
Janis 

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Fall Coffee Lovers Bloghop
2.  Simon Says Stamp Work-It Wednesday - Use a stamp
3.  Little Scrap Pieces Show-It-Off Saturday
4.  Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week #196 - Use Snippets
5.  DL.Art Thankful Thursday #165- Fall
6.  DL.Art September Linky Party
7.  Try it on Tuesday - Autumn
8.  House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge - Fall and Halloween
9.  ChouxChoux Paper Art Challenge #1 - Fall or Halloween
10. Verve September Inspiration Challenge - Autumn Lovelies
11. Sweet Stamp Shop September Challenge - Anything Goes
12. The Paper Girls Challenge #88 - Sweater Weather
13. Penny Black at All Sorts September Challenge - Anything Goes  
14. Stamped Blessings Amusing Challenge #22 - Anything Goes

Thanks for Coming to Visit - FWF 9-25 and Coffee Lovers Hop

Hi, Friends......

I am here with my weekly Unity - Friends with Flair post.  Surprise!!!  Unity changed things up again this week!!  lol....  The designer hop and FWF was posted on Thursday evening this week!

I also am linking this card up to the Fall Coffee Lovers Bloghop.   You can use a coffee, tea, or cocoa image.  We would love for you to join in this fun hop, so go here to find out how to enter. 

I have a giveaway, too, so be sure to check out my whole post to find out the details!  :)

Today's card uses one of my neglected Unity grab bag stamps:  "Thanks for coming to visit".  (I guess it is neglected either because I don't like for people to come over or because they never do!  Hahaha.. )  I teamed it up with a sweet little Mary Engelbreit teapot stamp I have had for ages.  I stamped them both with Versafine ink in Vintage Sepia and heat embossed with clear powder.  I debated whether or not I should color the teapots, but decided the card had enough color already.  Leaving them uncolored actually helps them stand out more.

I used scraps for all my panels today and added a lovely felt leaf (from a dollar store pack!  Yay!)  that I glitzed up by rubbing on gold glitter glue.  Love gold shimmer for autumn!!!  The burlap circle and background panel each have some of the glittery goodness on them, too.  :)

I tied a perky bow with some gingham ribbon and mounted it all on a kraft card base.  I really love the country feel that the ribbon and the burlap bring to this card.

Giveaway Details:
I have an extra Stampendous - House Mouse Caffeine High rubber cling stamp to give away!

TO ENTER:
1. Leave a comment on this post and/or any of my Fall Coffee Lovers Hop posts telling me your favorite flavor of coffee, tea, or cocoa. Or if you prefer one of those just plain, that's okay....tell that to me. My favorite is Hazelnut for coffee....oh, YUM!!! I love Hazelnut cocoa, too!!! I've never seen hazelnut tea, but I bet it would be good, too. :)
2. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, TOO. I am not always successful in tracking down my winners, and I would hate for you to miss out if you win!
3. Deadline for comments is: Friday, October 2nd @ 11:59 pm Pacific.
4. This giveaway is open to all my readers....international, included. :)

Hope you enjoyed my card, today......and I hope you will join us for the Fall Coffee Lovers Hop!

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Unity Friends with Flair Link Up
2.  Fall Coffee Lovers Bloghop
3.  Try Stamping on Tuesday - Sketch

4.   Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 195 - Use Snippets
5.   Word Art Wednesday Challenge #202 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
6.   DL.Art September Linky Party - Anything Goes
7.  Cards in Envy - Colors of Fall Challenge
8.  Little Red Wagon - Happy Fall Y'all
9.  Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use a Stamp and Hop 
10. Verve September Inspiration Challenge - Autumn Lovelies

Thanks - Neon Colors

I waaaaaaaaant THESE!!!  

Hi, Friends.....

I am here to share a card I made for the Neon challenge at
The Male Room.  It can be tough to photograph the super light-reactive colors, but I did my best.  These colors really glow with actual sunlight or ultraviolet.  I love them against the black!!

I used my Paper Smooches - Gift Tags Dies to cut out the masculine colors (no pink!) from my DCWV Creamy Stack.  I cut out contrasting reinforcements with the same die set for the bright little tags.  I stamped the letters with an ancient set of Inkadinkadoo alphas, using Staz-On Ink in Jet Black.  

It was weird.....I have used this Creamy Stack a lot of times for a number of different projects and only today discovered that there is a translucent plastic layer bonded over the paper that makes it "creamy".  Don't even ask what happens when you try to heat emboss it!!!  Ugh....  Suffice it to say that Staz-On alone is the way to go. 

I strung the little tags into a banner with some fluorescent chartreuse ribbon that is so bright it nearly keeps the whole household awake at night! (Maybe that's why the cats are always ratting around after we go to bed!) I wish it had photographed true to color.  I put tiny black foam squares under the right hand edge of each tag to give a hint of dimension.  I embellished the card with more of the little reinforcements I cut out and I even used the little scrap solid circle middles!  Hey, that qualifies this as a scrap card....just barely!  :)  

I really like how this card turned out......actually quite close to my mind's initial concept, for a change!!!  Ha.  Hope you enjoyed it, too.  Thanks for stopping by and leaving all your wonderful comments!!  Have a lovely rest of the week.

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  The Male Room Challenge #19 - Neon Colours 
2.  Speedy Fox & Friends Challenge #280 - Banners
3.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - No Designer Paper
4.  Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use a Stamp and Hop
5.  Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 195 - Use Snippets
6.  Little Scrap Pieces Show-it-Off Saturday Linky Party
7.  Word Art Wednesday Challenge #202 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
8.  DL.Art September Linky Party - Anything Goes

NEW CHALLENGE BLOG: Craft Rocket Challenges

 

Hi, Friends.....

A good Monday to you!  I'm here to announce a new challenge blog I heard about from my crafty friend, Lis.   It is called Craft Rocket Challenges.  

Right now they are offering a chance at some lovely blog candy for becoming a follower and displaying their logo, so I happily obliged.  :)  I also am adding them to my list of favorite challenge sites.

Let me tell you why I am really excited about this new blog.

• They have a super-cool name.  Craft Rocket....how much better can you get than that!!! 
• They have such a fun retro-looking logo!  That rocket reminds me of Flash Gordon or something.  lol..  I love it!
• My crafty friend, Lis, is on the DT.  She makes her own papers and then makes cards from them.  I am truly impressed.
• They already have their award badges displayed on their sidebar:  one for the random draw winner (who will be invited to be a guest designer), one for Top 3, and one for Design Team Favourite.   Sounds like lots of fun, doesn't it?  Yay.  

I hope you will join me in helping them have a successful launch by visiting the Craft Rocket Challenges site.  Join up, display their logo, link up for the candy, and get ready for the countdown to their first challenge.

10....9....8....7....6....5....4....3....2....1.........

 

See you on the launch pad!!!!!

<3
Janis

Doggy Love 2

Hi, Friends.....

What has gotten into me????  Must be the meds!  Ha.  While I had my DCWV doggy paper out, I used another Viva la Verve Sketch (Week 2) and some scraps of yellow to make another dog card.  Growler is going to be too spoiled with all the love and extra pats you all sent to her when I posted my first doggy love card!!

On this one, I used some shiny gold craft floral wire that my daughter had given me, but I hadn't opened yet.  So I am also linking this card up to Darnell's NBUS #5 Challenge.  

I am trying to use some of the stamps in my stash that have been neglected.  This jaunty little thrift store pup hadn't ever seen ink in my house, so it is also a NBUS item.  I stamped and heat-embossed, and then fussy cut him.  (Have I ever told you how much I loathe fussy cutting???? I cannot fathom how some amazingly talented papercrafters find it relaxing!! Yeeeech!! I tear my hair out doing it. Amazingly, I only cut off one leg while cutting this little fellow out. Glue to the rescue!!! lol...)   I put him through my Xyron Sticker Maker to adhere him to the image panel. 

Do you like the scalloped circle die cut behind the circle?  I love the sunny look it gives.  

Here's a close-up of my little gold wire heart.  I think it turned out really cute.  The tiny rhinestone is from a clearance pack in my stash.  Sweet, huh?

That's all for now.  Thanks so much for all your awesome comments.  I am so very appreciative of your kindness.

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Pixie's Snippets Playground Week #194 - Use Snippets
2.  NBUS Challenge #5 - Use some Never Before Used Schtuff
3.  HIMCR #216 Super Scraps Saturday  
4.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Die Crazy (I used my Sizzix Scalloped Circle die set.)
5.  Viva la Verve Sketch Week 2 Challenge

Believe - Molten Double Embossing

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a Christmas card using one of my very favorite techniques:  molten double embossing.  Essentially, this entails dry embossing and dabbing the entire embossed surface with Versamark Ink and then heat embossing with layers of one or more powders to get a wonderful molten look.  LOVE!!!  

I had this background dry embossed with the Darice - Snowflakes and Flourishes and already done up with silver heat embossing, but added WOW! Embossing Powder - Metallic Gold Rich Ultra High on the flourishes to enter it into the Speedy Fox & Friends - Gold and Silver challenge. That's one thing I love about this technique....you can keep adding more colors and layers.  Fun!

 

Isn't this a lovely angel?  This stamp is from the Believe set by Clear Art Stamps.  (I can't find a link.)  This set has lived in my stash for at least a couple of years and I haven't ever used it.  I stamped the angel on vellum with Onyx Black Versafine Ink and heat embossed it with clear powder.

I used the same Onyx Black with the Believe sentiment and heat embossed it on white cardstock.  I added a couple of sparkling rhinestones and mounted it all on black cardstock.

I love the definition of the embossed pattern with this molten technique.  This is the first time I had experimented using the Ultra High coarse powder with this technique.  I find that it gives more of the delicious "molten" look than regular powder, but you lose some of the design definition.  I like the look of it over the silver on this background.  

Hope you enjoyed seeing my card.  I appreciate all your wonderful comments.  Thank you, also, for your thoughts and prayers lately.  I am feeling a TON better.  I think the new meds are kicking in.  Yay!  I am grateful.  Have a lovely rest of the week!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.   Speedy Fox & Friends Challenge #279 - Use Both Silver and Gold
2.   Try it on Tuesday - Add Some Metal (I used metallic silver and gold embossing powder.)
3.   Shopping Our Stash - SOS/Jingle Belles Bonus Challenge - Use stash item to make Christmas card (I used the Believe set with the Angel.)
4.   Jingle Belles - Shopping our Jingly Stash - Use stash item to make a Christmas Card (I used the Believe set with the Angel.)
5.   Cards in Envy - Inspired by a Song (My card was inspired by "Angels from the Realms of Glory".)
6.   Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Love this Technique (I used my molten double embossing technique.)
7.   Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge - Take a Stamp
8.   Little Red Wagon Challenge #307 - Try Something New (I used the coarse embossing powder with my molten double embossing technique for the first time.)
9.   The Artistic Stamper September Creative Challenge - Things with Wings 
10.  Southern Ridge Trading Co. September Challenge - Favourites (I used my favorite embossing technique.) 
11.  Try Stampin' On Tuesday Challenge #236 - Sketch Challenge
 

Better with a Dog......Wha-aat??? FWF 9-16

Occasionally, I get asked by my readers if we have a dog, along with all of our cats.  The answer is yes.  This is Growler.  She is one of the homeliest mixed breed (Germ. shorthair, Austr shep, and lab) dogs ever, but she adores us.  She knows her rank in life.  Humans are top.  Next come the cats.  Next come the chickens.  Then comes Growl-Girl.  ("Oh, boy!!!  You guys are the humans; I'm just the dog!!!  I like knowing my place!!!")

Growler looking guilty about something....could be any number of things!

She is probably the most under-loved of all of our pets, since we are all such cat people, but she is a good farm dog.  She barks the deer away (mostly) and announces the arrival of (some) visitors with a bark.  She is gentle with all the other pets and with children.  She is death on raccoons, even at her advanced age (around 12, I think). And.... she never poops in the yard!  LOL... Hey, that's a big thing!!!

We never have been able reliably to keep her at home because her head is smaller than her neck and she can slip out of any collar....Houdini out of any harness......dig out of any pen (or get completely scraped up trying).....and jump or climb over any fence.  Now that she is old and arthritic, she stays home a little bit better....keyword: "little"...but I still see her out in the neighboring pastures quite frequently.  With her large chest cavity, she has immense lung power for her size and used to run and run and run following us in the car for nearly a mile when we went to town.  Now she realizes that she has to walk all that way back, so she doesn't do that as much....just follows us to church sometimes and sits in the back of the truck waiting for a ride home.  Awwww.....

So why all the space dedicated to a dog?  Well, I guess I am feeling a little bit sentimental about pets that I take for granted.  My hubby just had to put down one of our older kitties who was riddled with cancer.  Scooter was one of our favorite kitties.  She always had a cheery greeting for us in her funny, scratchy voice.  She didn't appreciate the other kitties too much and spent most of the last 4 years at our next-door neighbor's house.  He really liked her......even though she was responsible for him slipping on the ice a couple winters ago and breaking his leg in two places near his ankle!!!  Ouch!  

So here's to pets that are under-appreciated.....and to ones that we miss.  Love and miss you, Scoot-Baby.  Love you, also, Growl-Dog.  Thank you for being our friends.

 
Hi, Friends....

I am here with my Unity - Friends with Flair project for the week.  Are you like I am with lots of wonderful Unity stamps that sit under-loved and under- or un-used in your stash????  I noticed that I tend to use the same ones over and over and don't make the effort to figure out a way to use some of the others.  So for my FWF projects for the rest of the year, I am going to try to use ones that haven't seen ink yet.  Anyone else want to challenge themselves to that with me?  

I keep my Unitys in a binder in clear pocket pages and on the first page was the "Life is Better with a Dog".  Ha.  Well, I am not totally convinced this sentiment is true (being a cat person and all....) but true to my resolve, I pulled it out to use.  I paired it up with a Unity pawprint stamp for this project.  Not sure if I have used the paw print before or not, but I know I haven't used the sentiment.  lol...  So, I am also linking this card up to Darnell's NBUS #5 Challenge.  

Are you sensing a theme here????  Under-appreciated pets and under-appreciated stamps?  Okay, good.  I had an idea you might need a little help tracking with my weird thought processes.  (I use the term "thought processes" loosely!  Ha.) 

Okay, here is my dog card dedicated to our sweet Growl-Baby.  Thank you for being our friend, dear old dog.

I did something I am not sure I have ever done before.  It's crazy, but I used only brand new sheets of coordinating papers from one collection (the dog sheets in the DCWV Pets Stack), in addition to the kraft.....NO SCRAPS!!!   (Well, okay, the kraft sentiment panel was a scrap...but none of the patterned papers were!)  It was so fun to mix these around to make my design, following the Viva la Verve Week One sketch.  

I stamped the paw prints in Tea Dye Distress Ink and curved the sentiment a bit and stamped it over the still moist (...or muddy!) paw prints with Versafine Ink in Onyx Black.  Then I heat embossed all the stamping with clear powder.  The adhesive ribbons all came from a clearance set that somehow coordinates perfectly with the DCWV papers.  (How did that even happen???  Who knows....but I love it when it does!)  Later on, I added a tiny turquoise rhinestone to the poodle's hairdo, but I didn't take another shot of it....so you'll have to use your imagination!  Ha. 

Thank you for laboring through this long post.  I appreciate your comments and encouraging words.  Be sure to tell me if you want to join me in trying to use the underloved Unity in our stashes for the rest of the FWFs this year!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Unity - Friends with Flair
2.  NBUS Challenge #5 - Use some Never Before Used Schtuff (the Unity sentiment stamp)
3.  Vive la Verve September Week 1 Sketch Challenge

4.  Cards in Envy - Inspired by a Song  "Thank You for Being a Friend"
5.  The Kraft Journal Challenge #241 - Take Your Pick (I used Patterned Paper, Embossing, and Ribbon)

Apples

Hi, Friends.....

What to do......what to do.  I had three challenges I wanted to combine:

• The sketch from Atlantic Hearts Challenge.

• The Male Room challenge of a masculine card with a fruit theme.
• The Unstampabelles challenge of a masculine card.  

Then I hit on an idea.....  

Each year a local farm family, who are also honey producers, host an apple cider pressing party for the community in their honey house.  Everyone brings plastic jugs and whatever apples they have from their own trees or from the "wild" ones that grow around here.  We, ladies, primarily wash and trim and the guys mostly man the cider press. By the end of the day, each family has a few gallons of fresh-pressed cider to take home.  Oh, YUM!!!  

Hey, I could make a masculine apple-themed card to thank this family after the party in October!  [Please don't tell your folks, Christy!  :)]

For masculine cards, I like to use lots of texture.  Burlap and dry embossing are good ways to add some yumminess without a lot of frou frou.  One of my favorite things to do with dry embossing is to wipe an inked dauber over the raised portions to give them more definition.  For this card, I dry embossed some DCWV scraps with the Checkered and the Interlock Circles Folders from Darice.  Then I inked over them with Distress Ink in Rusty Hinge and Walnut Stain.  The burlap is a scrap from my DCWV Burlap Paper Stack.

Do you like my apple????  It started as a very large punched circle of this scrap of DCWV apple paper for the sketch.  Then I got the bright idea.....could I (who is utterly challenged at doing anything free-hand!) cut this circle into a shape that would be recognizable by anyone as an apple????  I gave it my best shot....and am quite pleased (even amazed!) with the result. (The stem and leaf help....)   I think myself extremely clever using an apple for the circle in the sketch!!!  Ha.  

I wanted to make my apple stand out without too much fanciness, so I applied some Glossy Accents to a few of the little apples in the patterned paper.  The leaf is from K&Co. scraps cut with my
Sizzix Originals - Build a Lilac Die set.  The stem is some twine that I dyed with Distress Ink in Crushed Olive and Walnut Stain.

I contoured the apple with dimensional foam squares (two on top of each other for double the height) down the center of the apple and then glued down the outer edges.  You might be able to see a bit of the "puffiness" in the photo above.

I used some Colorbok Alpha Letters to spell out APPLES.  The green color of the letters and leaf did not match the apples in the patterned paper too well, so I sponged Crushed Olive DI over the die cuts.  I like this much better.  Ink covers a multitude of shade differences!!  :)

I mounted it all on a kraft card base.  Kraft is also a great thing to use for masculine cards, as are any of the earthy tones.

That's all for tonight.  Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.  Also, thank you for all your wonderful comments.

<3
Janis 

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #125 

2.  The Male Room Challenge #18 - Fruit
3.  Unstampabelles Challenge #50 - Boyz Will Be Boyz
4.  HIMCR #216 Super Scraps Saturday
5.  Pixie's Snippets Playground Week #194 - Use Snippets
6.  Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Love this Technique (Inking over dry embossing.)
7.  The Kraft Journal Challenge #241 - Take Your Pick (I chose patterned paper, embossing, and die cut.)

Friendship is....A Million Little Things

Brian and Othello

Here's a sweet shot of Friend Kitties taking a nap together:   our big, black Othello and sweet, striped Brian.  My angle is obviously not great on this shot because Brian's nose and ears are actually nearly as long as his tail!  Ha.....well, not quite!  Sometime, I will post a better picture showing his "alien" features.  :)  In this picture his nose looks more like his dainty little sister's.

Brian was missing for 4 or 5 days after we returned from being evacuated for a week during all the fires.  I was just heartsick.  He showed up, though, in fine shape...though his coat was full of pitch and debris.  We were so relieved and happy.

 Hi, Friends.....

Super short post today because I am having a few health problems that we're trying to get regulated.  I really wanted to get another card made for Mojo Monday prize week, so I will get this in under the wire.  :)  The pretty blue scraps with an autumn feel were calling to me. [I absolutely LOVE a bright, deep blue with autumn colors!!  That combo makes me get giddy inside.  Hey, maybe that's what is causing the problem with my heart!!!  Ha. ]  One of these pieces had a torn edge which I fell in love with.  It inspired me to go shabby with this card.  :)

This wonderful sentiment from the Inky Antics - Script Sentiments #1 stamp set is stamped with Versafine Ink in Vintage Sepia.     
 

Other supplies used include:

K&Co. Scraps
Prima - Wildflower Mix
Want 2 Scrap - Adhesive Pearl
Distress Ink - Rusty Hinge, Crushed olive
Burlap ribbon from my stash

Thank you so much for visiting my blog.  I appreciate each of your wonderful comments!!!  Thank you all for being my super-talented crafty friends!!  I am so grateful for all the millions of little things you say that encourage and support me in my crafting endeavors.

<3
Janis 


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Mojo Monday #414 - Sketch

2.  Pixie's Snippets Playground Week #194 - Use Snippets
3.  Little Scrap Pieces - Show-it-Off Saturday Linky Party
4.  Simon Says Stamp Work-It Wednesday August 2015 - Autumn Theme
5.  HIMCR #216 Super Scraps Saturday
6.  Word Art Wednesday Challenge #200 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
7.  The Paper Girls Challenge - Grateful/Thankful So grateful for my crafty friends......like you! 
8.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stamp-It and Blog Hop

Stenciled and Stamped Thank You

Not a kitty pic, but isn't this bed set gorgeous????

Hi, Friends....

I am here with a card for this week's MFP Speedy Fox & Friends Challenge which asks us to stamp over a stencil.  This fabulous tutorial by Pat Garvin shows how!  

I also had just been looking at the Make ART Challenge Blog which features Wendy Vecchi's art.  I saw that their current challenge is to create something, using her line of products, inspired by some of the new releases on her blog.  That sounded like fun!  I looked on her blog and was super-inspired by the blues and purples in her samples using the new Stamp It Stencil It sets (Floral Collage and Water Lily).  I grabbed my Stamper's Anonymous - Wendy Vecchi - Build a Bloom - Stamp It Stencil It set and went to work combining these two challenges.  :)

I stenciled over a scrap piece of DCWV patterned paper with the flower and the foliage stencils, using Distress Ink in Broken China and Shaded Lilac.  Then I stamped over the flowers with the cracked background from my Mark's Finest Papers - Background Fun stamp set using Distress Ink in Dusty Concord.  (Do you like the cracked effect?  I wasn't sure at first, but it has grown on me and now I really do!)

As is my usual style, I made a very simple sentiment panel from a scrap of white cardstock to accompany this pretty background.  I stamped my Quietfire Designs - Rough-Hewn Thank You (Mini) with the same Dusty Concord DI and heat embossed it with clear powder.  Everything was matted with and mounted on purple cardstock.  Some synthetic shimmery raffia from my stash finished it all up.  I totally LOVE how this card turned out.  I adore the soft look of the stenciling over the patterned paper.  Hope you like it, too!!!

I did some other stamping over stenciling, too.  Some turned out pretty good and some not-so-great.  Ha!  (Back to the scrap heap with them to be remade into something else at a later date!! lol...)  I want to thank Pat for the wonderful challenge theme.  This awesome technique is one that I will want to play with again!!! 

Hope you are all having a great week and getting ready for a lovely weekend!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  MFP Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #278 - Stamp over Stencil
2.  Make ART September Challenge - New Product Inspiration  
3.  Word Art Wednesday Challenge #200 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
4.  Pixie's Snippets Playground Week #193 - Use Snippets
5.  DL.ART September Challenge Linky - Anything Goes
6.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use a Stamp and Blog Hop

ETA because I wanted to give this card to the recipient first....and I know she visits my blog sometimes!!  A sweet friend helped us out in the Rabies Vaccine Clinic we held in our community recently.  She likes purple, so I had made this for her.  Thanks, Christy!
7.  The Paper Girls Challenge - Grateful/Thankful 

Thinking of You - FWF 9-8

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with my Unity - Friends with Flair project for the week.  I am still trying to get used to it being on Tues/Wed instead of on Fridays!  

Today I used a Unity grab bag "Thinking of You" stamp that I discovered belongs to their June 2014 Sentiment Kit.  I love this gorgeous font!!  I stamped it with Onyx Black Versafine Ink onto a dreamy watercolor background I made from another of....... yes, you guessed it.... my ****marker refilling experiment sheets****!  Yay!  :) 

In my stash, I found a background I had made last year.  It was yellow paper dry embossed with my Darice - Henna folder that I had inked with Distress Ink in Fired Brick, Walnut Stain, and Spiced Marmalade.   
[I think I must have inked the wrong side of the folder when I was first learning, because it is on the debossed side, not the embossed side!!  LOL!!  Turns out that I like this folder debossed a lot better than embossed, so who knows....maybe I DID do it that way on purpose!!!  Ha.] 
This piece didn't have a lot of color (yet), but it had potential.  So....I fussy cut around the swirly flowers and leaves and sponged with more distress inks for deeper, richer colors.  Then I inked it gently with a Versamark pad and heat embossed it with Stampendous - Stamp and Bond Embossing Powder.  Next I pressed a piece of partially-used gold Clearsnap - Designer Foil over the sticky design.  I only wanted small bits of foil accents and this technique gave me exactly what I was desiring.

If you look closely, you can see bits of foil accents on the floral design.

To continue with the gold theme, I also did some gilding on the edge of my banner piece (which was made from a DCWV scrap).  I dragged the edges over my Versamark pad and then heat embossed with WOW! Embossing Powder - Metallic Gold Rich Ultra High.  I bought a BIG jar of this some time back, but hadn't opened it yet.  Oh, my.....this is *just* the thing to give a delicious, heavy coat of gleaming gold!!!!  LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!  [Can't wait to start using this on my double embossed backgrounds!!! :) ]

I inked some burlap from my DCWV Burlap Paper Stack with Distress Ink in Tea Dye to warm up the color a little bit and used my WRMK Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper to round the corners.  [I won this tool from Taunya Butler (THANKS, Taunya!!  I love it so much!)  It bites into all sorts of materials effortlessly and rounds off the corners beautifully.]  I love the texture the burlap brings!!  I also added some gold punchinella behind the panels for more gleam and more texture.  A few sequins in the corner and I was done.

Hope you have enjoyed this tour through my card today.  Thank you for your lovely comments!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Unity - Friends with Flair Link-Up
2.  Wow! Embossing Powder September Challenge - Use foils
3.  Connie Can Crop Monthly Color Challenge #38
4.  Word Art Wednesday Challenge #199 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
5.  Little Scrap Pieces - Show-it-Off Saturday Linky Party
6.  Simon Says Stamp Work-It Wednesday August 2015 - Autumn Theme
7.  Mojo Monday - #414
 
8.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Colorful
9.  Quick Quotes Friday Challenge #55 - Anything Goes