And the winner is...............

Hi, Friends.....

I am here to announce the lucky winner of this Tea Party Ticket stamp from the Spring Coffee Lovers Hop:

 

Congratulations goes to: Sue D.

Sue, I have emailed you. Please send me your snail mail address so I can get this sent to you! Yay!! 

Thank you to everyone who participated!!!  Happy Easter to all!

<3
Janis

Waffle Flower Watercolor Card

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a quick post to squeak an entry into the March Waffle Flower Challenge.  Here's the inspiration photo and we were asked to use the technique of the month:  Watercolor.

I used my Waffle Flower - Flower Circles stamp set and some Brushos that my bloggy friend, Karen Ladd, sent me on my birthday. (THANKS, Karen!!!)

This is my first attempt to do this kind of bow with a button. I used a fabulous Unity Stamp Company Quick Tip found here to show me how. (THANKS, Unity!!)

Other supplies used:
Darice - Checkered embossing folder
DCWV - Burlap Stack
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set
Distress Ink - Peeled Paint
Crayola Watercolor Pencils
Aquabrush

Dollar Store baker's twine and heart button

That's all for now.  I have a Good Friday service to attend, so I am cutting this very short.

Have a blessed Easter weekend.

<3

Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Waffle Flower March Photo Inspiration and Technique Challenge - Use Watercolor
More later....if I get time! :)

Coffee Lovers Hop - Tea Party + GIVEAWAY

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a card for the Spring Coffee Lovers Hop.  I won't be able to participate a whole bunch this week, but I do have one card and a giveaway.  :)

For my card today, I went super formal with a lovely stamp based on the image from a vintage Tea Party Ticket for Good Friday in 1857.  So cool!  I thought it was quite appropriate for the Hop, since it is Easter time and you can make your project Coffee, Tea, or Cocoa themed.  This image even has cats on it.....although they got partially covered with the die cuts I used.  

I am sooooo proud of the pretty bow I was able to make from some totally delicious ribbon from Pat Garvin.  (THANKS, Pat!!)

Supplies used for this card include:
Crafty Individuals - Tea Party Ticket stamp
Versafine Ink in Smokey Gray
Spellbinders - Lace Doily Accents die set
Spellbinders - Heartfelt Creations - Raindrops on Roses die set
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Oval STAX die set
DCWV scraps from my stash
Distress Ink in Victorian Velvet
Prima Flowers
Adhesive Pearls

Okay.....on to the GIVEAWAY!!!!  I bought an extra one of these pretty Crafty Individuals - Tea Party Ticket stamps, which I am offering to one lucky randomly-drawn commenter.  This is open world-wide!  Yay!!  This comes as an unmounted red rubber stamp.  You can read more details about it on the link above.

Cats and a tea party!  What's not to love????

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post that includes the words "Tea Party Ticket" somewhere in it by 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Time on Friday, March 25, 2016.  That's all.  Easy-peasy.  I would love for you to become a follower, also, if you are inclined, but it is not necessary to be included in the drawing.  It also would help me a lot if you include your email address (in code) in your comment so I can contact you, if you are the lucky winner.  Thanks!  I will announce the winner here on my blog on Sunday, March 27th.  Good luck, everyone!

Thank you for stopping by today.  There is so much going on in blogland this week that it is impossible to do it all, so I very much appreciate you taking the time to visit my blog and leave your sweet comments!!

<3

Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:

1.  Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

2.  Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 221 - Use Snippets

I'll get some more on here later on!

Maybe a Little Bit Too Free.....Butterfly Art Journal Page

Life is all about being free to explore!!!

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with an art journal page to share with you today.  Anyone want to venture a guess at how what is originally intended to be a card turns itself into an art journal page?  Answer is a combination of two things:  (a) I can't bear to give it away....and/or.....(b) I can't bear for anyone to see it!  LOL!!!  I will let you figure out which is which for this project!  Ha.

It all started when two pieces of unrelated paper got shoved near each other on my craft table......a pretty scrap of K&Co paper with a butterfly on it and a birthday card envelope from my dear MIL.  "Hey, I like these together.  I could make a card!"  :)  

I covered up the handwriting with the patterned paper and should have stopped playing around right there.  I could have made a very attractive card with this nice, tidy, contrasting bit of background.

But, nooooooooooooooo.........

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I think I remembered Tim Holtz saying that he crumples up stuff and rubs it around in his distress ink........whaaaaat????

Oh, why did I even start this project???  And what did I just DO to that pretty background????  Oh, woe is me!

Distress Ink in Tea Dye

I flattened it out and clipped it to my craft sheet to dry with my heat gun.

When I began this project, I had in mind to make something for Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge - Butterfly + Buttons and/or Bronze. So I got out my bronze glittery embossing powder. I stamped a big arty Unity sun image with Versamark and heat embossed with Vintage Mahogany embossing tinsel from my Stampendous Encrusted Jewels Frantage Kit in Bronze.

The result was hideous! lol....  I stopped taking photos!!!!!

Somewhere between the above photo where I was totally despairing of this project and the photo below where things are starting to reassemble themselves into something interesting, I did the following:

1. Sponged Versamark ink in a butterfly stencil and heat embossed with clear powder. (You can see some of that in the center of the lower edge.)

2. Stamped and heat embossed a Serendipity - Floral Butterfly to go with the sun.

3. Sponged all over with Distress Ink in Rusty Hinge for an emboss-resist look.

4. Dusted Perfect Pearls in Perfect Bronze all over the entire thing and misted it slightly with water to set the powder. Then I wiped off the heat embossed places with a baby wipe.

You can tell that I kind of like what is happening with my piece now because I am starting to take photos again.  :)

Using Versafine in Vintage Sepia, I inked up some miscellaneous stamps I got in a thrift store grab bag.  They remind me of ancient engravings and such.  I stamped them willy-nilly over my piece.  Then I dusted some more Perfect Pearls over it to set the ink.

Bearing in mind that I still think I am making this for a card, I began my search for some buttons to go with it...and to qualify for the Butterfly challenge.  Nothing bronze in my button stash, soooooooooo.......

Time to heat emboss some buttons!!!

My new heat gun (Remember how mine died mid-project during my Cat Lovers Hop last October????) gets super-hot....like a bajillion degrees!  So I held my buttons with a unfolded paper clip.  I sponged them with Versamark and dipped them in embossing powder and zapped them.  This  photo is just the first couple of layers....I used all sorts of powders on them to get a weather-worn look.  :)  When the holes got embossed shut, I stuck a paper clip end in them while the powder was still warm to reopen them.

I die cut a glittery Serendipity - Floral Butterfly to add to my piece.  And, finally, at this point....reality hit me.  This is NOT going to be a card.  Nobody nobody nobody in my circle of card-receiving friends or family (especially family!) is going to understand this at all.  Their opinions of my ever-loosening grasp on sanity is only going to be confirmed.  I'm keeping it for myself.  As an art journal page.  Period.  No one else sees this.  Nope.  Well, no one except for you faithful readers.  YOU understand....(I hope!)....No one else does!!  :)

So at that point.......I was free to do whatever I wanted with it!!!  Hooray!! I still wanted to use the buttons and so it was still going to look kind of like a card, but I felt free to actually write on this in my own handwriting....which I rarely use!  lol...  I use printing for everything and really only pull out my cursive writing for signing things....like autographs.  Hahaha...not really!  More like writing my signature on checks and such.  :)   

I wrote out and outlined the word Free using Faber-Castell Pitt Big Brush Markers in black and white. The white was a little too bright, so I sponged over it with Distress Ink in Tea Dye. I tied it all with dollar store twine and put it on a bundle of glued together book pages. You can see a stray string from the cloth binding at the top right.

I wish you could see the shine and glimmer of that sparkly Serendipity butterfly better!

Well, there you have it.  What do you think?  I know you didn't really need all those photos.....but I took them just in case (by some rare stroke of luck) the project turned out fabulous!  Ha!.....  I decided to share the process with you, anyway. :)  Even though there are things I would have done differently, I really kind of like how it turned out.

Are there some techniques you have been wanting to try?  I always have backdoor options, in case things really go south on a project.  For instance, I figure there is almost nothing that heat embossing or Perfect Pearls can't fix.  (You notice I used both on this project!!  lol...)  That gives me the freedom to explore new things in my art.  Do you have some favorite fixes, too?  If so (or even if not!), give some of your new ideas wings and go for it!!!   

Thanks for taking time today to look at my project!  This is a busy time for a lot of us and I appreciate each of you who comes to visit my blog and leaves such encouraging comments.  Have a lovely weekend!!!

<3
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this art journal page in the following challenges:
1. Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge - Butterfly + Buttons and/or Bronze
2. Serendipity Stamps Challenge #53 - Circles/Dots
3. Die Cut Divas - Something Spring
4. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #222-#223 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
5. DL.Art March Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
6. Let's Play! at A Colorful Journey
7. Little Scrap Pieces Show-It-Off-Saturday Linky Party
8. Craft Stamper March TIMI Challenge - Take a Stamp (must stamp)
9. WOW! Embossing March Challenge - Anything Goes with Heat Embossing
10. One Crazy Stamper March Challenge - Anything Goes
11. Crop Stop Linky Party #14 - Anything Goes, Use a product that CS sells (I used Distress Ink)
12. Little Claire's Challenge #67 - Anything Goes

Lettuce Have Some Fun!!!

Core from some leaf lettuce left overnight to dry.

Hi, Friends.....

Call it spring fever or whatever you will, but Janis went a little bit crazy today stamping with a lettuce scrap!!!  Yep, you read it right..... LETTUCE!  :)

I was inspired by this post over at Design Memory Craft by Laura Bray that used Gelatos and Bok Choy.  When I saw the lovely pattern of this lettuce core.....I couldn't just toss it to my chickens!!!  I grabbed one of my pale pink watercolor marker refill backgrounds and smooshed some Distress Ink in Abandoned Coral onto my craft sheet and stamped with my lettuce core.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!  Aren't those rose images just wonderful????  (Something tells me that the One who made roses...also is the One who made lettuce!)

I decided to go shabby with this card, so I found some pink and gray scraps in my bag and roughed up the edges a bit for my layers.

My sentiment is Thinking of You from Serendipity Stamps.  I adore this gorgeous font!!!  I inked it in Versafine - Smokey Gray and heat embossed it with clear powder.  Serendipity is having a Circles/Dots Challenge right now where I will be linking up this card.  Hope you pull out your Serendipity products and join in, too!!

Other supplies used on this card include:  thrift store pearl/lace trim, crinkly ribbon, and sequins from Pretty Pink Posh- Sweetheart Mix.

Hope you enjoyed my card today.  I had so much fun playing around with that piece of lettuce!!!  lol...  Maybe you will start eyeing your veggie scraps from a different perspective now, too!  Ha.

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Serendipity Stamps Challenge #53 - Circles/Dots
2. Twofers Challenge #15 - Organic (must stamp)
3. Pixie's Snippets Playground Week #220 - Use Snippets
4. Let's Play! at A Colorful Journey
5. Design Memory Craft March Challenge - Handmade Flowers (I hope my hand-cut lettuce scrap that I used as a stamp counts as a handmade flower, since I got the idea off the DMC blog!)
6. WOW! Embossing March Challenge - Anything Goes with Heat Embossing 
7. One Crazy Stamper March Challenge - Anything Goes
8. Crop Stop Linky Party #14 - Anything Goes, Use a product that CS sells (I used Distress Ink) 
9. Little Claire's Challenge #67 - Anything Goes
10. Little Scrap Pieces Show-it-Off Saturday Linky Party
11. Craftin Desert Divas Linky Party - Photo Inspiration (I took my inspiration from the pink roses!)

Flower Power Birthday Card

Hi, Friends......

Get your sunglasses on.........I am here with a bright and groovy birthday card!!! I made this with a mod paper pack that's been sitting unused in my stash for a number of years. I am entering this in Darnell's NBUS #6, where we tap into our stash for Never Before Used Schtuff. :) This is the last day to enter, so hurry if you want to join in! Darnell has some sweet prizes, so I hope to see you there!

I saw the Verve Inspiration Photo Challenge and wanted to go with a retro flower power look. I knew this happy pack had just the patterns I was looking for and some of the colors!

It REALLY is this bright!  I edited the photo, but only to get as close to the true colors of the card as I could!

The little tag with the butterfly came in the kit and I stamped Happy Birthday from my Mark's Finest Papers - Silly Shells stamp set in Smokey Gray Versafine Ink. The aqua ribbon is from my stash.

I also used this week's Mojo Monday Sketch for this card. I think it worked great with these papers. Fun!!!

Hope you like this fun card! I really love the bright colors and fun retro patterns. Thank you for your groovy comments. You all are far out! lol....

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this blast from the past card in the following challenges:
1. NBUS #6 - "Never Before Used Schtuff"
2. Verve March Diva Inspiration Challenge
3. Mojo Monday Sketch #438
4. Word Art Wednesday Challenge #221 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
5. Amusing Challenge - Birthday Celebrations

CAS Bunny Card - MFP Challenge

Hi, Friends......

I am here with a sweet little card for this week's MFP Stamp Shop Challenge where they ask us to make a Clean and Simple Bunny card. 

I dry-embossed some heavy duty white cardstock with my Darice - Oblong Doily folder. Then I used my Mark's Finest Papers - Hoppy Easter stamp set for the bunny image and a Happy Birthday sentiment from my Mark's Finest Papers - Silly Shells stamp set. I stamped with Versafine ink in Smokey Gray and doodled in my grass and tiny honeybee with the 005 pen from my Pigma Micron Black Pen Set.

I watercolored my little scene by swiping my aquabrush over my Crayola Watercolor Pencils. Next, I rubbed my finger over my Cotton Candy Gelato and applied it to the doily pattern to accent the texture. I gently rubbed it with a moist baby wipe to blend. Lastly, I finished by mounting it on a pale blue card base. I think it turned out really cute!!

Hope your week has been going well. Thank you for coming by to visit!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. MFP Stamps Challenge #10 - CAS Bunny
2. Word Art Wednesday Challenge #221 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
3. Critters and Creatures Linky Party 2 March - Anything Goes with Critter or Creature as Focal
4. Die Cut Divas - Something Spring
5. Twofers Challenge #15 - Organic (must stamp)
6. Great Impressions March Challenge - Bunny Hop (Easter/Spring)
7. Penny Black at All Sorts - Feature a Creature (must stamp focal)
8.  Craft Stamper March TIMI Challenge - Take a Stamp (must stamp)
9. One Crazy Stamper March Challenge - Anything Goes
10. Fun Cuts Challenge - O is for Oval
11. Amusing Challenge - Birthday Celebrations
12. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - A Bit O' Green

Scatter Joy - Skipping Stones Sketch

Cats scatter joy just by being cats!  <3

Hi, Friends.......

I'm here with a card I made for the Skipping Stones Designs Sketch Challenge.  I am immediately attracted to sketches that have a large circle in them because I have this ginormous circle punch that I LOVE to use (on scraps)!!  :)  My punch makes the perfect size circle for my plethora of 3-1/2" wide scraps and the circle fits perfectly inside some pretty doilies I have!  (Yes, I know...I know... you have seen me do this before, but there might be some newer peeps visiting that haven't!  Probably not....but, oh, well....  Ha!)

I started pulling out some scraps and spied this aqua print piece with a bit of apricot in it.  Aha....that's what I will do.  I began pulling out other aqua pieces, thinking I would go monochromatic.  Then I spied some apricot/orangey paper.  Wow...LOVE this color combo!!!  Scrap bags be hanged....I went right to the shelf where I had a brand-new pad of DCWV paper-backed burlap in spring colors.  Oh, yes!!!!  (THIS LINK is not the same stack...different colors...but same fabulous product.  Can't find a link to the color variety that I am using.  Sorry!)

The problem was...it had both the aqua AND the orange color I wanted.  Which to make?  Which to make??? Why not both?  :)  Which do you like better?  I think I like the one with the aqua burlap better.

I punched two vellum circles and used just the absolute sweetest stamp set that my crafty friend, Karen Ladd, sent me for my BD a couple weeks ago.  LOVE LOVE LOVE this set!!!!  (THANKS, Karen!!!) It is called Joy by My Sentiments Exactly.  I stamped the sentiment and hearts with Versafine ink in Smokey Gray and heat embossed with clear powder.  I love that the vellum lets you see the patterned paper behind it, and yet the pale gray stamping still is the focal point.

So with my two NBUS (never before used schtuff) things (the springy burlap and the stamps), I am also entering this in Darnell's NBUS #6.  There is only another day or two left to enter, but you know me....why enter early when you can squeak in with an entry 5 minutes before the door slams shut!!  lol....  I hope you will join us!!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  It is sunny here (for now) in North Central Idaho, but chilly.  My outside animals reposition themselves throughout the day like sundials to get the best advantage of any sunny rays.  :)  Such sweet creatures.

<3

Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering these cards in the following challenges:
1. Skipping Stones Designs February Sketch Challenge
2. NBUS #6 - "Never Before Used Schtuff" lol...
3. Great Impressions March Challenge - Bunny Hop (Easter/Spring)
4. DRS Designs Challenge #216 - Bling it On
5. Word Art Wednesday Challenge #221 - Anything Goes Family Friendly

"Faith is..." Butterfly Card

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with another butterfly card for Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge with the prompts of Butterfly + G is for Glitter and/or G is for Grape. Do you love purple like I do? Oh, yum! What a gorgeous color!!! And glitter? Oh, I am in raptures!! (I'll be sweeping this stuff up for the next 6 months! Ha.)




I also used the fabulous Week 1 Viva la Verve sketch for March. I just LOVE this sketch! It's perfect for using scraps......which I did! All the papers I used for this card were from my scrap bag. Yay!!!

I used my Verve - Scripture Medley 2 stamp set for the lovely scripture verse, which I stamped with Altenew Crisp Dye Ink in Deep Iris.

I used a pearly piece of purple paper (didn't mean to do all that alliteration...ha!) which I dry embossed with my Darice - Floral and Butterfly Background folder. I "painted" some glue into selected parts of the purple panel and sprinkled on some silver glitter for some sparkle. It's a little hard to tell, but the floral panel is also sparkly.

I die cut my square panels with my My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set and used some shiny purple butterfly stickers that I might have possibly...um...errr..."borrowed" from my 5-year old granddaughter! lol... (Please tell me I am not the only one who absconds with craft supplies from the youngsters! Ha.) The tips of the wings of the upper butterfly were blue, instead of green, so I used an lime-green ultra-fine Sharpie to make it green. It was still a bit too emerald, so I colored over it again with yellow. I like this color much better for my card.

I made a second card just like the first with shiny silver butterfly confetti pieces, instead of the purple butterfly stickers. Which do you like better? I think I like the purple butterflies better.

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments. I appreciate you taking time from your busy day to stop by. It means a lot to me!! Have a lovely week!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge #49 - Butterfly + G is for Glitter and/or Grape
2. Week 1 Viva la Verve sketch for March
3. Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday February Challenge - Use Florals
4. Word Art Wednesday Challenge #221 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
5. One Crazy Stamper March Challenge - Anything Goes
6. MAWTT Challenge #15 - Purple Haze
7. The Artistic Stamper March Challenge - Springtime (must stamp)
8. Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 219 - Use Snippets
9. Craftin Desert Divas - Lots of Layers
10. Die Cut Divas - Something Spring
11. Great Impressions March Challenge - Bunny Hop (Easter/Spring)
12. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Touchy Feely
13. DRS Designs Challenge #216 - Bling it On
14. Mod Squad Challenge - Feature a Creature
15. Addicted to Stamps Challenge #121 - Glitter/Bling with a Stamp

Happy Easter Basket

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a little Easter basket I made for the Mark's Finest Papers Hearts and Bunnies Tutorial Challenge.  I don't often make 3D paper projects (altered jars are about as 3D as I usually get!), but this one looked fun and within my skill set so I took the plunge!  lol...  Vickie on the MFP DT made a lovely tutorial for this project. Oh, let me tell you......I got so totally enchanted with these charming little baskets that I am organizing a girly crafty afternoon at church to make a bunch of these for table decorations for our Easter Breakfast Potluck!! We will fill them with flowers and have a couple of them on each table. Cute!!! Thank you, Vickie!!

These very pale Easter colors were difficult to photograph.....sorry.

For my basket, I selected some DCWV scraps and followed the tutorial, using my Mark's Finest Papers - Lily of the Valley stamp set. I stamped it with the floral image and label from that set with Versamark ink and heat embossed it with white powder. I selected only very simple embellishments for this one.....the Happy Easter from my Mark's Finest Papers - Hoppy Easter stamp set, which I heat embossed with aqua powder, and a shimmery bow.  

I love how my basket turned out.  This easy craft will be super-fun for the ladies and the young girls to do together at church.  We'll make sure the girls make extra so they can take a few home, too.  :)

Thank you for stopping by.  Your visits and lovely comments mean so much to me!!  Have a wonderful week!

<3
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this project in the following challenges:
1. Mark's Finest Papers Hearts and Bunnies Tutorial Challenge - Baskets
2. WOW! Embossing March Challenge - Anything Goes with Heat Embossing
3. Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday February Challenge - Use Florals
4. Little Scrap Pieces Show-It-Off-Saturday Linky Party
5. The Artistic Stamper March Challenge - Springtime (must stamp)
6. Word Art Wednesday Challenge #221 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
7. Southern Ridge Trading Co. March Challenge - Easter
8. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Take a Leap (making a 3D paper project is new and kind of scary for me!)
9. One Crazy Stamper March Challenge - Anything Goes

Stenciled Butterflies

Hi, Friends......

I am here with a simple stenciled butterfly card for Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge.  This time the prompts are Butterfly + G is for Glitter and/or G is for Grape.  Sweet!  I managed to do both with my purple sponged background and my butterflies that are heat embossed with a glittery white powder. 

I started with a fuschia colored card base, although you can't tell because of my sponging. :) I used the lovely butterfly stencil from my Artistcellar - Tam's Whimsy Series 4-stencil set. I held it firmly in place and smooshed Versamark ink through the design. I also stamped the little "nature" sentiment from my Mark's Finest Papers - Nature's Brushstrokes stamp set with Versamark. Then I heat embossed with this super-glittery white powder. The sparkle didn't photograph well, but you can see it a tiny bit better in this next photo.

After heat embossing, I sponged with Distress Ink in Seedless Preserves.  I like the natural unevenness of the background.  

Do you like this simple card?  I like it a lot. It was fun and fast to make.  I really need to use my stencils more often!!!  Which of your supplies do you need to get out and play with this coming week?  

Thank you for stopping by!! Hope your weekend is a great one.

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge #49 - Butterfly + G is for Glitter and/or Grape
2. WOW! Embossing March Challenge - Anything Goes with Heat Embossing
3. MAWTT Challenge #15 - Purple Haze
4. Fun Cuts - N is for Nature
5. My Time to Craft Challenge #316 - One Layer Only
6. Lil Red Wagon Challenge #331 - Layer of One
7. Mod Squad - Feature a Creature
8. The Artistic Stamper March Challenge - Springtime (must stamp)
9. Amusing Challenge - Anything Goes

Lucky You!

My apologies to any of you who happened to see the meme I had up here initially.  How embarrassing!  Blame it on old grandma eyes not seeing what was in the photo or on "to the pure, all things are pure" or whatever.  Anyway, this one is better.  :)

Hi, Friends.....

I am back after a little rest from crafting after my big push last month with all the wonderful challenges. Today I am sharing a fun little card I made using tons of scraps and a sweet lucky kitty image and sentiment from my Mark's Finest Papers - Lucky You stamp set.

My background is simply scraps (mostly DCWV) that I glued onto some plain white cardstock and then overlaid with narrow strips, also from my scrap bag. (I always have so many of these very narrow strips leftover that I wanted to see if I could make a decent background out of them. I like how it turned out!)  After the glue was completely dried (very important step...I wait overnight, usually!) I dry embossed it. This time, I inked my Darice - Crackle folder on the deboss side with Distress Ink in Walnut Stain to get the ink into the "cracks".

I stamped my kitty and sentiment with Versafine ink in Vintage Sepia on subtly patterned beige cardstock and heat embossed with clear powder. I fussy cut the kitty and put him on some mulberry paper. The sentiment was die cut with my My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set and attached to some deep cinnamon brown mulberry paper. Inside I stamped "Happy Birthday" from the same set and finished everything off with a bit of dollar store twine. I think it turned out really cute.

That's all for now.  I hope your week has been a good one and you are getting ready for a fabulous weekend!

<3

Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. MFP Stamps Challenge #9 - Brown
2. SUYP Cats Only Challenge #4 - Lucky Kitty
3. Pixie's Snippets Workshop Week 218 - Use Snippets
4. Shopping Our Stash #241 - White Out (no white paper)
5. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Touchy Feely (Add texture)
6. Little Scrap Pieces - Show it Off Saturday Linky Party
7. Amusing Challenge - Anything Goes
8. A Colorful Journey - Let's Play (I played with my scraps in a new way.)