Final Post for GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #11

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with Post #11......the FINAL POST for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2.  I can't believe I managed to get these all blogged!!!  YAY!!!

Remember that I have a giveaway going on during this Blog Blitz so take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment by 11:59 pm April 30, 2016 on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for each post to be entered. 




Here's the sketch that I used for these eleven cards that I am showing you in this Blog Blitz:







For my final card I have another orange and pink cupcake card using the adorable little HA set!

I had been hoarding the background striped paper, but.....Hoard No More!!! (I have to keep saying this to myself....over and over!) I am so glad I used it because I think it is perfect for this happy and celebratory final card of my Blog Blitz! What do you think?

Supplies used include:
Hero Arts Sparkle Clear - Cupcakes
Versafine ink - Smokey Gray
Faber-Castell Art-Grip Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils
Crayola Watercolor Pencils
Aquabrush
Prima flowers and a little button I added from my stash!  (Because I liked the look so much from Post #10!)

Now for the very last Blog Blitz Question for Post #11:

What has been your favorite part or parts of this Blog Blitz?

I want to personally extend heartfelt THANK YOUs to:
Stacey of Stacey's Stamping Stage for the wonderfully inspiring sketch that got this Blog Blitz started.
AND to....
Julee at Viva la Verve for putting up with me blitzing her April challenge with these eleven identical cards!!
Ladies....you are wonderful!!!

Many, many thanks to each of you who has come to visit during the last few days and left your kind comments.....especially to those of you who have made it through all eleven posts!!!  WOW....You all are totally awesome!!   

*****Remember to answer the questions on any or all of the Blog Blitz posts by 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight time on Saturday, April 30th to be entered into my GIVEAWAYS!!!!*****

I will be drawing the random winners of the three prizes on Sunday, May 1st and posting the names probably sometime that afternoon or evening.  So be sure to check back!!

Thank you, again.  Have a lovely rest of the week!!!

<3
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. Countryview April Challenge - Spring
3. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring
4. The Ribbon Girls April Challenge - Anything Goes with an Image
5. A2Z Scrapbooking April Challenge - Watercolor must use HA focal
6. Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 226 - Use Snippets
7. Verve Diva Inspirations April Challenge

GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #10

Caught in the act of hoarding craft supplies!

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with Post #10 for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2. I have a giveaway going on during this Blog Blitz so take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for each post to be entered. 




Here's the sketch I used for these eleven cards I am showing you in this Blog Blitz:






We are on the homestretch for this Blog Blitz and I want to thank each of you who has left comments so far.  I have thoroughly enjoyed reading them....laughing and chuckling at your entertaining answers to my questions.  They ring so true with me!  

For my last two cards, I stayed with the same birthday cupcake theme.  I just love this sweet HA set!  I went mostly with just orange and yellow this time, with a hint of pink.  LOVE these sunny colors!!!

Do you like the layered flower?  The orange bottom layer is one from a Prima pack that Pat Garvin sent me in a prize recently.  (THANKS, Pat!!)  The ivory one on top is from the Prima - Pura Adelita collection and came pre-made with the tiny button center.  I ADORE it!!!

Supplies used include:
Hero Arts Sparkle Clear - Cupcakes
Versafine ink - Smokey Gray
Faber-Castell Art-Grip Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils
Crayola Watercolor Pencils
Aquabrush


Now for the Question for Post #10:

What is your favorite stamp or stamp set at this very moment?  (If you are like me, it can change from minute to minute...just like my favorite color does!  Love the one you're with... Ha!)

That's all for now.  I'll be back with my final Blog Blitz post later today.  Be sure to answer the questions on each of my Blog Blitz posts by 11:59 pm April 30, 2016 for lots of entries into my big Blog Blitz Giveaway! See you soon for my final blitz post!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. Countryview April Challenge - Spring
3. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring
4. The Ribbon Girls April Challenge - Anything Goes with an Image
5. A2Z Scrapbooking April Challenge - Watercolor must use HA focal
6. Verve Diva Inspirations April Challenge

Bluebird Altered Treat Jar

Not a kitty, but I love bluebirds, too.  One year we had a terrible hatch out of grasshoppers.  We were still in the old house and my chickens free-ranged over on our new property...so they couldn't help with the awful pests.  In the late summer when the grasshoppers were at their peak, the juvenile bluebirds were fledging.  Help was on the way!                                                                                                 It was very entertaining to see the youngsters learning to hunt.  Bluebirds' natural inclination is to hunt on the wing, but these grasshoppers were on the ground.  Instead of just picking them off the blades of grass as the experienced adult bluebirds knew to do, the young bluebirds would flap their wings and hop around in the yard to flush out the grasshoppers.  As the insects jumped, the juveniles would flutter up in the air a few inches and catch them.  A little unconventional, but they sure ate a lot of those disgusting hoppers...and it was great fun to watch!

Hi, Friends....

I'm here with another brief hiatus from my Big Blog Blitz Giveaway series to share a pretty bluebird altered treat jar that I made for a friend's birthday and filled with mini Almond Joy bars.  Yum!  :)

These are so much fun to make and it makes me feel good to reclaim jars that otherwise would not be saved.

The lovely images are fussy cut from an envelope that had come with a card a friend sent me a few years ago.  I knew that sometime I would use those cheerful birds!

To make this treat jar, I first gessoed over the sides of the jar and over the whole outside of the lid.  Then I tore discarded book pages in strips and Mod Podged them over the gesso on the jar and let it dry thoroughly.  I rubbed Gelatos with a moist finger to add some color over the book paper.  Then I Mod Podged my birds and blossoming branch papers in place and let everything dry completely.  This whole process took several days as each "let it dry" step was overnight!

 


I glitzed up my images with some glitter on the branches and flowers and I colored over the birds lightly with my Wink of Stella pen...although you can't really see much shimmer in the photo.  

I added a few sequins here and there and some twine.  

 

You can see a little flower I put on the twine in the top photo. I even tucked in a wee leaf from some vine trim I have had for ages.




Then it was time to work on the lid......

I blended the same Gelatos over the gesso and Mod Podged it all to seal it.  Then I added a twine bow and a layered flower with a sweet little dew drop that my crafty friend, Karen Ladd, once sent to me. (THANKS, Karen!)  I have been hoarding these so long I had forgotten about them!  Hoard No More!!!!  :)

I hope you like my treat jar. It has no stamping on it at all......but, again, who misses it? The gorgeous birds and flowers are plenty and the book paper adds a nice background.....so it really didn't need any stamping.

Okay, that's all for tonight. I have two more Blog Blitz posts that I will put up tomorrow. Be sure to visit my GIVEAWAY posts and answer the questions on each post by 11:59 pm April 30th Pacific Daylight Time to be entered!! Details are on THIS POST!!!

Thanks so much for your visit!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this altered treat jar in the following challenges:
1. Countryview April Challenge - Spring
2. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring
3. Craftin Desert Divas Linky Party - In the Garden
4. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use Metal (The lid of my jar is metal, and the sequins are metallic.) 
5. Ellibelle's Creative Moments Critters & Cratures Linky Party #3 - Critter must be the Focal
6. Happy Little Stampers April Mixed Media Challenge - Wings
7. Craft for the Craic April Challenge - Anything But a Card
8. Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #139 - Things with Wings must use Ribbon or Trim
9. Anything But Cute Challenge #12 - Earth Day Mixed Media Mood Board
(I am inspired by the colors and the bird on the mood board.  I recycled/reused several items for my project that would have been discarded, otherwise.)

GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #9

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with Post #9 for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2. I have a giveaway going on during this Blog Blitz so take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for each post to be entered.



Here's the sketch that I used for these eleven cards that I am showing you in this Blog Blitz:







I still had my orange scraps out and another card with orange and pink and those weird little flowers just sort of happened.....  LOL!  At least I was a little more restrained in piling on the flowers than I was on my last card!  I think I was just very excited to find a place they would work and the busy background on that card could handle the big grouping of them.  This plain background would be overwhelmed with too many of them.

This is quite an eclectic mix of colors, but I like the bright combo.  Do you like the K&Co. wood fence background piece?  I think it looks sweet with the crazy flowers.

Supplies used include:
Hero Arts Sparkle Clear - Cupcakes
Versafine ink - Smokey Gray
Faber-Castell Art-Grip Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils
Crayola Watercolor Pencils
Aquabrush
Petaloo Flowers

Now for the Question for Post #9:

What supplies have you used lately that you thought you might never find a place for?

That's all for now. Be sure to answer the questions on each of my Blog Blitz posts by 11:59 pm April 30, 2016 for lots of entries into my big Blog Blitz Giveaway! See you next post!
 
<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. Countryview April Challenge - Spring
3. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring
4. The Ribbon Girls April Challenge - Anything Goes with an Image
5. A2Z Scrapbooking April Challenge - Watercolor must use HA focal  
6. Verve Diva Inspirations April Challenge

GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #8

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with Post #8 for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2. I have a giveaway going on during this Blog Blitz so take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for each post to be entered.



Here's the sketch that I used for these eleven cards that I am showing you in this Blog Blitz:




 

On goes the saga.....
I still had a leftover bit of that funky floral patterned paper with the lavender and blue on it.....and guess what I noticed about it.  It also has pink on it!!!!  Back out of my drawer came my pink scrap bag as I rummaged around for some paper with pink and orange on it.  I decided to make a birthday card with what I found while digging.

I have never thought this particular background paper was very attractive, but the singularly weird floral and geometric mix actually kind of works with these colors!  Glad to get rid of some of it that has been in my stash for years!!!  Ha.

With this card, I broke a long-standing bad habit tradition of making newly-acquired craft supplies (especially prizes!!) "ripen" for a few days, weeks, months, years....before using them!  (Eeek!  I KNOW I am not alone here....admit it!)  So I was very pleased with myself for using this adorable little Hero Arts Sparkle Clear - Cupcakes stamp set on the very day that received it from Pam at Airbornewife's Stamping Spot.  (THANKS, Pam!!)

Enabler Alert: Pam very generously was giving away a whole ton of these discontinued sets and she might still have some! (I'm not sure.) Hop over there and look or drop her an email or something, if you are interested!

I also was very glad to use some of these flowers.  I bought the package online and was less than pleased with the look of them when they arrived.  Ugh.....would I EVER have a card they fit with????  

In keeping with what I gather is the theme of the movie "Napoleon Dynamite" (Yes...set right here in Idaho! Oh, great...what are people going to think of Idahoans with a movie like that???!!!  lol...):  "There is someone for everyone."......this apparently was the card for these flowers.  I guess weird flowers and weird paper go together, what can I say? (Oh, please...no comments about weird minds thinking that they go together!!) Anyway, somehow the patterns and colors worked to make sort of a different, but sort of an okay card.  What do you think?  (You can be brutal....it won't hurt my feelings!!)

Supplies used include:
Hero Arts Sparkle Clear - Cupcakes
Versafine ink - Smokey Gray
Faber-Castell Art-Grip Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils
Crayola Watercolor Pencils
Aquabrush
Petaloo Flowers

Now for the Question for Post #8: 

Do your new craft items and prizes have to "ripen on the shelf" for a while before you use them?  How long is the average? (Be truthful, now.....) 

That's all for now. Be sure to answer the questions on each of my Blog Blitz posts by 11:59 pm April 30, 2016 for lots of entries into my big Blog Blitz Giveaway! See you next post!
<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. Countryview April Challenge - Spring 
3. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring
4. Penny Black at All Sorts April Challenge - Birthdays
5. The Ribbon Girls April Challenge - Anything Goes with an Image
6. A2Z Scrapbooking April Challenge - Watercolor must use HA focal
7. Verve Diva Inspirations April Challenge
 

GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #7

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with Post #7 for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2. I have a giveaway going on during this Blog Blitz so take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for each post to be entered.

 

Here's the sketch that I used for these eleven cards that I am showing you in this Blog Blitz:




 
On goes the saga.....

I liked the blue and orange combination in my previous card, but noticed the piece of floral scrap also had lavender in it.  Since I had enough scraps to make another card.....and since this big Sketch-travaganza was all about using up old things and trying new combinations, I was emboldened to make this one with lavender and orange.  What a combo, huh?  I don't think I have ever combined those two for the main colors on a card before.....(There might be a good reason for that!!!  lol.....)......but I did it and my twisted brain really likes the springy way it turned out!!  (Go figure....) 

You can see that my use of Distress Ink for stamping my sentiment caught up with me and this one is all beady.  Oh, bother!  I even had used an eraser on the stamp first.  Oh, well....I used the panel anyway.  I wonder if the composition of this particular color (Dusty Concord) is slightly different than the others.  (shrug...)

Supplies used include:
Verve - Scripture Medley 2 stamp set
Distress Ink in Dusty Concord
Prima flowers


Now for the Question for Post #7:
Have you used any unusual color combinations lately?
 
That's all for now. Be sure to answer the questions on each of my Blog Blitz posts by 11:59 pm April 30, 2016 for lots of entries into my big Blog Blitz Giveaway! See you next post!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. Crop Stop Linky Party #15 - Anything Goes Using Brand CS Carries (I used a Distress Ink)
3. Double D Challenge - April Showers Bring May Flowers
4. Countryview April Challenge - Spring
5. Little Claire's Designs Monthly Challenge #68 - Spring Colours
6. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring
7. DL.Art April Linky Challenge - Anything Goes

Smile - Life is Beautiful

Hi, Friends..... 

I'm here with another brief hiatus from my Big Blog Blitz Giveaway series to share a sweet very last-minute card I made for the Waffle Flower April Photo Inspiration Challenge. Look at these fabulous colors!!!

 Here's my take: 

Do you like how I cut the large sequin in half to make the tiny leaves?  I am feeling extremely clever thinking of that little trick!!  Ha.

I heat embossed in white over one of my marker refill water backgrounds, using my brand-new Waffle Flower Doily Circle stamp set. I can't tell you how much I totally LOVE LOVE LOVE this set!!! You are going to be seeing this one a lot. :)

I want to give a big shout-out to the Twofers Challenge Blog. I recently won their Organic Challenge with my lettuce-stamped roses card and the prize was a generous e-gift card to Alleystamp. I hadn't heard of Alleystamp before, but what a fun online store! This is where I picked out the new Doily Circle Waffle Flower stamp set. So.....a huge THANK YOU to the gals at Twofers Challenges and to Alleystamp!!!!

Other supplies used include:
One of my marker refill water backgrounds....pink, of course.....LOVE!!!
VersaMark Ink
White Embossing Powder
Vellum
Blue Embossing Powder
Prima flower
Fancy Pants - Oh Deer sequins
Pre-made DCWV Card base

Okay, that's all for now....I want to get this posted and linked up in time to slip under the wire at Waffle Flower!  Be sure to visit my GIVEAWAY posts and answer the questions on each post by 11:59 pm April 30th Pacific Daylight Time to be entered!! Details are on THIS POST!!!  

Thank you for stopping by today!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Waffle Flower April Photo Inspiration Challenge
2. Mod Squad Challenge - Water, Water Everywhere! (I used a watercolor background I made from my marker refill water.)
3.. Crop Stop Linky Party #15 - Anything Goes Using Brand CS Carries (I used Versamark Ink)
4. Countryview April Challenge - Spring
5. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring
6. Wow Embossing April Challenge: Anything Goes, Use Heat Embossing
7. Double D Challenge - April Showers Bring May Flowers (the doily reminds me of an umbrella and the sequins remind me of raindrops.)
8. DL.Art April Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
9. Rubber Dance April Challenge Stamp into Spring (Use colors from this inspiration collage.)

GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #6

I have several alarm clock cats!  Two of them will just race around and howl until I get up.  My old lady Aliyah will trill and rub and sometimes nip any exposed body parts to get me out of bed.

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with my 400th blog post (YAY!!) and Post #6 for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2. I have a triple giveaway going on celebrating my 400th post, and belated for my 2nd Blogoversary, and my birthday all during this Blog Blitz, so........take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for each post to be entered.

Here's the sketch that I used for these eleven cards that I am showing you in this Blog Blitz:

Back to the saga.......
So with coral out of my system, now I could settle down with some masculine colors, right?  Well....actually, no.  As I dug around looking for a few more corals to go with the ones on my desk, I found some orange scraps that looked pretty together.  Arrrgh.....I could tell already that a masculine card would have to wait until next time....again!  (sigh)

One fun thing about doing all these cards from the same sketch has been experimenting with different colors and color combos.  Although I do use complementary colors sometimes, I rarely do orange and blue.  Somehow this springy combination seemed right....especially with the flowers.

Oh, horrors....guess what I just this minute noticed.  I forgot to put a center on one of the flowers I used!  Ack.  I will have to fix that....but not in time for posting this.  Ha.  I guess I was so fixated on the crazy cock-eyed centers in the other flowers (those came that way...not my doing! lol...) that I forgot all about the blossom that didn't come with one.  Sigh...

Other supplies used:
Verve - Scripture Medley 2 stamp set
Distress Ink in Stormy Sky
Prima flowers
Petaloo flowers

Now for the Question for Post #6:
Have you ever posted a card with something missing?

That's all for now. Be sure to answer the questions on each of my Blog Blitz posts by 11:59 pm April 30, 2016 for lots of entries into my big Blog Blitz Giveaway! See you next post!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. Crop Stop Linky Party #15 - Anything Goes Using Brand CS Carries (I used a Distress Ink)
3. Double D Challenge - April Showers Bring May Flowers
4. Countryview April Challenge - Spring
5. Little Claire's Designs Monthly Challenge #68 - Spring Colours
6. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring

GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #5

 

Hi, Friends.....
 
I am back with Post #5 for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2. I have a giveaway going on during this Blog Blitz so take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for each post to be entered.

 
Here's the sketch that I used for these eleven cards that I am showing you in this Blog Blitz:

I love the partial circle peeking out from behind the panels in this sketch. My Fiskars - XXXL Circle Punch is just the right size for this. Since only part of a circle is needed for this piece, my zillions of leftover 1" wide strips in my scrap bags were just perfect for this portion of the circle tucked in behind the panel. Yay!! Another way to use scraps that I hadn't thought of before!!!

Back to the saga...... All my pink scraps now were safely stowed out of sight back in my drawer, but I still managed to get ensnared. I had some apricot/coral scraps leftover on my craft table from some previous project. All I had needed for that card was one scrap of apricot cardstock, but I was so enamored with the other pieces in that gorgeous shade that I still had them out on my desk....hoping to make something with them.

Ooops... Another problem: coral and masculine don't really go together, even though I thought of teaming it up with gray. I tried a few coral and gray combos and wasn't satisfied, so I finally went girlie and monochromatic...again!!!! lol... Two monochromatic cards in the same week! Eeek!

The textured piece behind the sentiment panel is a thin piece of coral paper that I glued onto some white cardstock so it would hold up to dry embossing. After running it through my machine, I sponged it lightly with a horizontal sweeping motion with Distress Ink in Ripe Persimmon to show the pattern better. Love this pretty effect.

Supplies used include:
Distress Ink - Ripe Persimmon for sentiment and sponging
Darice - Paisley Background embossing folder
Verve - Scripture Medley 2 stamp set

Now for the Question for Post #5:
Do you have something out on your craft desk right now that you can't bear to put away yet because it is too pretty and you want to make something with it?

That's all for now. Be sure to answer the questions on each of my Blog Blitz posts by 11:59 pm April 30, 2016 for lots of entries into my big Blog Blitz Giveaway! See you next post!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. Amusing Challenge #29 - Anything Goes 
3. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Girlie
4. Crop Stop Linky Party #15 - Anything Goes Using Brand CS Carries (I used a Darice embossing folder)
5. Love to Scrap Challenge #76 - Anything Goes
6. Tuesday Throwdown TT290 - Monochromatic

GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #4

Hi, Friends.....

I am delighted that so many of you are participating in my Blog Blitz this week!!! Thanks for all your visits and comments. They mean a lot to me.....even if you are just here for the prizes. :) Hey, I *know* how it is, believe me! Hehehehehe....

I am back with Post #4 for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2. I have a giveaway going on during this Blog Blitz so take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for each post to be entered.

 
Here's the sketch that I used for these eleven cards that I am showing you in this Blog Blitz:  

Such a fabulous sketch...no wonder I made eleven cards from it!!!




So....back to my saga on making failed masculine cards......
Before I put my pink scraps away (so they wouldn't continue to distract me away from guy cards), I noticed some red ones that might work together.  Two problems:  the piece for the background had flower-looking things on it...aaaaaaaand...it had pink on it.  That immediately got my pink radar activated again and another pink card came up on the screen.....this time using a scrap of crumpled doily for the partial circle!!!  Ha.  Out the window went any hope of a masculine card....again!

This particular piece I used for the background has always bugged me.  It is from a very old DCWV winter stack but looks like it should be summery or something.  Turns out the flowers are actually stylized snowflakes.  Who knew?  (Would you have noticed that if I hadn't mentioned it?)  They still look like flowers to me!  But since it is a wintery print, I will use it in winter.....and I further added to the snowflake look with shiny silver embossing.  

Supplies used include:
Verve - Scripture Medley 2
Versamark ink
Ranger - Embossing Powder in Super Fine Silver
Lots of scraps from my stash!!

Now for the Question for Post #4:
Have you ever used an out-of-season piece accidentally because you didn't notice something like snowflakes? :) 

That's all for now. Be sure to answer the questions on each of my Blog Blitz posts by 11:59 pm April 30, 2016 for lots of entries into my big Blog Blitz Giveaway! See you next post!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. DL.Art April Linky Challenge - Anything Goes
3. Wow Embossing April Challenge: Anything Goes, Use Heat Embossing
4. Little Scrap Pieces Show-it-Off Saturday Linky Party
5. Amusing Challenge #29 - Anything Goes
6. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Girlie
7. Word Art Wednesday Challenge #226-227 - Anything Goes Family Friendly

Easter card with Butterfly

I have had furniture like this.  In fact, despite many attempts at securing it, the fabric covering on the underside of our box springs is like this right now.  I can feel the stirring and hear a muffled sproinging noise when there is a kitty inside weaving its way around the coils.  Amazing no one has ever got a tail pinched!  Little scamps!

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a brief hiatus from my Big Blog Blitz Giveaway series to tie up some loose ends.  I have a few Easter cards that I haven't  posted.  Lots of times after the holiday is my best time for making cards because the pressure is off, but I still have my things out.  (Is this the right time to confess that I still have my Valentine things out, too??? LOL! There is an idea that I haven't made yet, and I don't want to put everything away before I do it. I know what you are thinking: "Just give it up, Janis." Right? Nev-uuuuuuhhhhh!!!)

I really enjoyed making a bunch of not-so-dry embossed backgrounds for Easter cards.  I lightly smoosh Distress Ink inside the folder (Choose carefully which side you want to be colored!....Voice of experience talking, here! Ha.) and then mist it gently.  Then run it through your machine as usual.  I like to use heavy duty cardstock or mixed media paper for this.  I just love the watery look!!!  

I topped the card with a simple and lovely solid butterfly cut from a scrap of K&Co paper with my Serendipity - Floral Butterfly die set.  Love the springy feel that a butterfly brings and the symbolism of resurrected life it represents, too.  Amazingly, this card has no stamping on it....but who misses it?  Not I.  :)

Other supplies used include:
Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers
Darice - Faith Words in Cross
Core'dinations heavy duty white cardstock
DCWV scraps
Want 2 Scrap - Adhesive Pearls


Thank you for stopping by.  Be sure to visit my GIVEAWAY posts and answer the questions on each post by 11:59 pm April 30th Pacific Daylight Time to be entered!!  Details are on THIS POST!!!  I have more loose ends to take care of here....so I might be back again this evening!!!  See you later........

<3 
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Butterfly Spot Challenge #53 - Butterfly + T is for Texture and/or Teal
(I did both with the teal color and the texture of the dry embossing and nubby pearls.)
2. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Butterfly Beauty
3. Mod Squad Challenge - Water, Water Everywhere! (I used water to mist my embossing folders for my watercolor look.)
4. Die Cut Divas Welcome to April - Any April theme plus dies or embossing folders
5. Little Claire's Designs Monthly Challenge #68 - Spring Colours
6. Southern Ridge Trading Co April Challenge - Anything Spring (Butterflies are spring-y to me!)
7. SSS Work it Wednesday March Challenge: Use Pastels
8. Take the Challenge with Mou: Something New or Young (This Easter card reminds me of the new life we have in Christ....just like the newly-emerged butterfly in spring.)
9. Unstampabelles April Challenge #56 - Flora and/or Fauna w/ NO stamping
10.Serendipity Stamps Challenge #54 - Emboss
11. Clearsnap April Color Challenge - Inspiration Collage (I saw pastels in one of the ColorBox Queus and went with those.)

GIVEAWAY: Viva La Verve Sketch Biltz - #3

Hi, Friends.....

I am back with Post #3 for my big 11-Post Blog Blitz where I made 11 cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch 2. I have a giveaway going on during this Blog Blitz so take a look at THIS POST for details. Comment on any or all of my eleven Blog Blitz posts answering the question(s) for that post to be entered.


Here's the Viva La Verve sketch that was my muse for this Blog Blitz. I love that this sketch has a couple of panels as elements. I have zillions of 3-1/2" strips in my scrap bags. These were perfect for those rectangles in the sketch. I cut them into 2-1/2" lengths. Perfect!



Well, I still had a pile of pink scraps on my craft desk that tended to the orchid hue. I decided to go ahead....get finished with pink...and then put the remainders away so I wouldn't have to contend with them while I try to make a masculine card. So what popped out of the crafty brew was a pretty pink and silver combo.

The sentiment is from the same set I have been using, Verve - Scripture Medley 2. This time I stamped it in Versamark and heat embossed it with Ranger - Embossing Powder in Super Fine Silver.

The scrap of white cardstock I used has some traces of Perfect Pearls Mist overspray from a previous project, but I kind of liked the effect so I used it anyway. This Blog Blitz is all about using ONLY scraps and derelict pieces in my stash. That matte textured piece and the shiny foiled background are from the old discontinued DCWV stacks: Handmade Paper Stack and Black Currant Stack. (Glad I bought an extra of that last one because all I have left of the first one is scraps!) Many (maybe most!) of the DCWV stacks on my shelves are discontinued, so I don't even try to make a link to them anymore on my Product Links page.

Now for the Question for Post #3:
Which scrap piece on this card has an imperfection that I ignored and used anyway?

That's all for now. Be sure to answer the questions at each of my Blog Blitz posts for lots of entries in my big Blog Blitz Giveaway! See you next post!
 
<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge - April Sketch #2
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Girlie
3. Word Art Wednesday Challenge #226-227 - Anything Goes Family Friendly
4. Love to Scrap Challenge #76 - Anything Goes
5. Wow Embossing April Challenge: Anything Goes, Use Heat Embossing