Butterfly - With Thanks

Hi, Friends......

Quick post here to share a butterfly card I made for Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge. I am always running catch-up to get a card in there. One of these days, I will get a card made in the *first* of the two weeks of the challenge. (Fat chance.....lol.)

The theme this fortnight is Butterfly/ies + the Letter C is for colors: Cerise, Cadet Blue, Champagne, and themes: Circles, Candi, and Center Step Fold. The fancy fold was a bit toooooooooo fancy for me to try this time, so I stuck with all three colors and circles. My Graphic 45 Flutter collection had the right colors in it!!

I die cut two of the butterflies (one in champagne and one in cadet blue) and layered them together. I lifted the wings of both colors to give dimension and fullness. This lovely die was a prize from Mrs. A (THANK YOU!!!) and happens to also be one of the prizes again this fortnight!!! So join in and you might win it. :)

Here you can see the simple decoration I did on the envelope....just a strip cut from the scraps of making this card. But isn't it pretty?

Supplies used include:
Graphic 45 - Flutter Collection
X-Cut - Small Butterfly die
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set (for scalloped panels and circle)
M&C Boutique - Large Circle Frame die set
Winnie & Walter - Sentimental: Gift stamp set
Versafine ink in Majestic Blue
Clear embossing powder
DCWV scraps of solid cardstock

Hope you liked my card. Thank you for stopping by.

Be sure to check out my Purple Day Blog Hop post for Epilepsy Awareness. There is blog candy here and there along the hop list!! Yummy. :)

Have a great day!!

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge #119 - Butterfly/ies + C is for.....
2. Mod Squad - Use 1 or More Metal Dies
3. DL.ART March Linky Challenge - AG
4. TCP March Tuesday Challenge #355 - Envie Envy (decorate an envelope to go with project)
5. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #378-379 - Anything Goes
6. Hero Arts National Craft Month - Dress up an Envelope Challenge
7. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper March Challenge 
8. Power Poppy Creative Confetti - Easy to Reproduce Thank You Card
9. Lost Coast Challenge #72 - Round and Round

Purple Day Blog Hop - Epilepsy Awareness

LILAC-POINT SIAMESE - as close as real cats come to being purple.  :)

Hi, Friends......

It's Purple Day!! Maybe you are like I was and don't know what Purple Day is all about. It is a day to promote Epilepsy Awareness. Our dear friend, Fiki, over at Bad Kitty's Craftroom has organized this important hop and I am honored to be a part of it by featuring a purple card on my blog today. There are giveaways on some of the hop stops, so you will be sure to want to visit each blogger on the list you will find below.

Please take a moment to read the story behind PURPLE DAY:

Purple Day is a global grassroots event formed with the intention to increase worldwide awareness of epilepsy, and to dispel common myths and fears of this neurological disorder. Further intentions of this movement are to reduce the social stigmas commonly endured by many individuals afflicted with the condition; to provide assurance and advocacy to those living with epilepsy that they are not alone in their ongoing endurance; and to initiate individuals living with the condition to take action in their communities to achieve these aims. The day occurs annually on March 26.

Formation and history
The concept of Purple Day was initiated by a 9-year-old named Cassidy Megan, and was motivated by her own struggle with epilepsy. The Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia helped to develop Cassidy's idea, and the first Purple Day event was held on March 26, 2008, and is now known as the Purple Day for Epilepsy campaign.

In 2009, the New York-based Anita Kaufmann Foundation and Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia joined to launch Purple Day internationally and increase the involvement of numerous organizations, schools, businesses, politicians and celebrities around the world. On March 26, 2009 over 100,000 students, 95 workplaces and 116 politicians participated in Purple Day. In March 2009, the official USA Purple Day Party launch was organized by the Anita Kaufmann Foundation. Canadian Paul Shaffer of the Late Show with David Letterman attended the official launch at Dylan's Candy Bar in New York City.

In March 2012, Purple Day received the Royal Assent and became a legal day for epilepsy awareness in Canada.
In December 2015, Electronics retailer Dick Smith had arranged a major corporate partnership with Epilepsy Action Australia to support Purple Day in Australia with a $50,000 cash sponsorship, prizes and exclusive distribution of Purple Day merchandise. A week prior to Purple Day celebrations in 2016, Dick Smith was placed in receivership. Later, the Retail Food Group provided a $50,000 donation to match Dick Smith's previously promised sponsorship. 

I love purple almost as much as I love pink, so it was an easy decision to use purple AND pink in my card for today.

I decorated an envelope for it, too, with heat embossing and doodling with my Sakura Moonlight and Souffle gel pens that show up on the deeper color envelope.

Supplies used include:
Stampendous - Laurel Burch Love Cat Angel stamp
Distress Markers for watercoloring
Newton's Nook Designs - Baskets of Wishes stamp set (for sentiment)
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set (for purple scalloped background)
"Leftover Easter-Egg Dye" Background from my stash
Canson - Mixed Media Paper Spiral Bound Notebook
Core'dinations/Darice solid colored cardstock
Zig - Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush Pen
For my envelope:
Stampendous - Laurel Burch Fish Wishes stamp set (for the round swirly designs)
Winnie & Walter - LS Exclusives: So Tweet with Evelin T Designs stamp set (for the hearts)
Hero Arts - Unicorn White Pigment Ink
Sparkle Embossing Powder from my stash
Sakura Gelly Roll Souffle Gel Pens
Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight Gel Pens

Here are more interesting facts about Epilepsy. I learned a lot by reading through these!

Epilepsy Myths:

MYTH 1: You Convulse (Shake And Jerk) When You Have Epilepsy

FACT 1: Not every seizure means a person jerks convulsively, nor is a person always unconscious during a seizure. Convulsions while unconscious are usually associated with tonic clonic seizures. There are a range of seizures which have different side effects and can affect people differently.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MYTH 2: Flashing lights cause seizures in everyone with epilepsy

FACT 2: Around 1 in 100 people has epilepsy, and of these people, around 3% have photosensitive epilepsy. Photosensitive epilepsy is more common in children and young people (up to 5%) and is less commonly diagnosed after the age of 20. Triggers differ from person to person, but common triggers include a lack of sleep, stress, and alcohol.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MYTH 3: You can restrain someone during a convulsive seizure and put your finger in their mouth

FACT 3: During a convulsive seizure you should never hold the person down or put anything in their mouth. It's important to know exactly what to do when someone has a tonic clonic seizure so that you can act quickly. Here's our 10 first aid steps for someone that has a convulsive seizure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MYTH 4: Epilepsy is rare

FACT 4: Epilepsy is anything but rare, over 500,000 people in the UK have epilepsy. That’s about one in every 100 people. There are also around 60 million people with epilepsy in the world. Anyone can develop epilepsy, it happens in all ages, races and social classes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MYTH 5: The only side effects of a seizure are tiredness and being confused

FACT 5: Having epilepsy can affect people in different ways. Knowing that a person ‘has epilepsy’ does not tell you very much about what happens for them or how epilepsy affects them. For example, some people may have problems with sleep or memory and for some people epilepsy may affect their mental health.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are a number of bloggers on the hop today that you probably already know or will recognize. Some of us (including me!) have blog candy that you have a chance to win by hopping along and commenting on our cards. More about my blog candy later....

Here's the hop list:
Fikreta (Our hostess....Yay!)
Sandie (She made our lovely Purple Day Badge!)
Ike
Kitty
Annabel
Darnell
Janis (You are here!!)
Olga
Vicki (Link is fixed now.)

Now for my blog candy......I have a small surprise package of crafty goodies for one lucky commenter who mentions something new they learned about epilepsy in their comment on this post. My giveaway is open internationally and I would appreciate you leaving your email address (in code) in your post so I can contact you. Deadline for comments is 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Time on March 31, 2019. I will randomly draw the winner from qualifying comments and post it on my blog soon after that.

Thank you, Fiki, for organizing this hop.......and thank you to all the participants and hoppers!!

💜
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. SUYP Challenge #40 - Furry-thing Goes opt St. Catrick's Day
2. Mod Squad - Use 1 or More Metal Dies
3. Allsorts challenge 512, feathered friends (Does an angel kitty with fur AND feathers work?)
4. TCP March Tuesday Challenge #355 - Envie Envy (decorate an envelope to go with project)
5. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #378-379 - Anything Goes
6. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Cute
7. Hero Arts National Craft Month - Dress up an Envelope Challenge
8. The House that Stamps Built - DCC36 Easter or Spring  

Moves on Hooves + Rudolph Days

Hi, Friends........

It's the last day for this fortnight's Christmas Kickstart Challenge with the adorable theme of "Moves on Hooves".  I don't know if Jo made that phrase up or not, but I find it such a fun and amusing Christmas challenge theme.

I really hoped to use a neglected stamp for this challenge, but none of my overlooked Christmas critter stamps were showing their hooves. It's not a requirement that you can see their feet.....I just *wanted* hooves showing....or at least lower legs!!!....for this fun theme.

So instead I went to my Christmas stash and found a lovely patterned envelope I had saved from a card a neighbor sent me in 2016. (I could still read the postmark!) I wish I had taken a picture of the envelope before I started slicing and dicing to turn it into a card!!! I love the desert colors and the image of Joseph and Mary on their way to Bethlehem.

With the usable leftover pieces from the envelope, I decorated up an envelope for my card. I sponged with Distress Ink and laid down a strip of sky and a die cut ornament. I guess you could say that this is an envelope decorated with an envelope.

Supplies used include:
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set
Unity - "Wishing you a blessed Christmas" from Unto Us
Versafine ink in Majestic Blue
Spellbinders - Holiday Tags die set
Scraps of solid cardstock from stash
Old Christmas decorated envelope from stash
Distress Inks in Tattered Rose and Hickory Smoke

Hope you liked this card in the non-traditional colors. Thank you for stopping by today!!

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Christmas Kickstart Challenge #6 - Moves on Hooves
2. Crimbo Crackers - AG Christmas
3. Crafter's Castle Challenge #15 - Anything Goes w/ opt. Use Glitter
4. Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #348 - Use Snippets
5. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #430 - AG Christmas
6. Mod Squad - Use 1 or More Metal Dies
7. TCP March Tuesday Challenge #355 - Envie Envy (decorate an envelope to go with project)
8. Rudolph Days March Challenge

On Your Special Day

NOOOOOOOOO!!!  Not true!!  lol....

Hi, Friends......

Super-quick post to get this card in under the wire over in the Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash challenges.

I used a die to make a "reverse" mask (using the negative) for the LOVE background along with a bunch of smooching smooshing. :) Love the soft colors.  I did a coordinating envelope for it, too.

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set (scalloped background panel)
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set (straight edge background and sentiment banner)
Winnie & Walter - LS Exclusives: So Tweet with Evelin T Designs die set (for the LOVE die mask)
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Square STAX die set
Winnie & Walter - Purrfect with Evelin T Designs stamp set
Winnie & Walter - Kindness with Evelin T Designs stamp set (shower of tiny hearts)
Winnie & Walter - Sentimental: Gift stamp set
Tsukineko - Memento Ink in London Fog
Spectrum Noir markers for coloring
Various Distress Inks for smooshing
Canson - Mixed Media Paper Spiral Bound Notebook
Core'dinations/Darice solid cardstock

That's all, folks!!!! I am done. Thanks for stopping by.

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter - Masking with Dies Challenge
2. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Layering Die Cuts Challenge (I layered the background panel diecuts.)
3. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 3+ Stamp Set Challenge
4. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #378-379 - Anything Goes
5. CARDZ-TV - Anything Goes Challenge #85
6. Papercraft Challenge #16 - AG w/ opt. Animals
7. SUYP Challenge #40 - AG opt St. Catrick's Day
8. TCP March Tuesday Challenge #355 - Envie Envy (decorate an envelope to go with project)
9. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Feminine/Girly
10. Dare 2B Artzy March Challenge - Anything Goes
11. Mod Squad Challenge - Layered Looks (I layered my masked love over my smooshed background and layered my diecuts, also.)
12. Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #273 - Anything Goes
13. Creative Fingers Challenge #159 - Anything Goes
14. Hero Arts National Craft Month - Dress up an Envelope Challenge

NOEL in Green and Gold

Hi, Friends.....

Here's another star card for you!!! I am soooooo loving stars lately. Green and gold are often used for St. Patrick's Day, but I thought....why not for Christmas????

This is the last day to participate in all the fabulous Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash challenges, so I am on the homestretch getting my last couple of ideas onto my blog. :) Thank you, Shay, for all the fun!!

I tried something new to me for this card. One of the W&W challenges was to mask your background using dies. I pulled out my Winnie & Walter - True Multifaceted Star Cutaways die set and cut a mask with it. Then I placed my star mask over a previously smooshed background and "painted" inside the mask with Gold Perfect Pearls to layer my stars over the smooshes. What a mess it made on my paintbrush and mask!!! Ha. But I love the gleaming faceted stars it produced.

The star in the center of the card didn't turn out as pretty with the lines between the facets being rather indistinct.  But I layered up some Noel die-cuts to put over the top of the less-than-satisfactory star and chalked it up to being arty.  :)  I also die cut a festive sprinkling of little stars for more golden Christmas glow. LOVE!!!  I even made a coordinating envelope!

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - In a Word: Noel Cutaway die
Winnie & Walter - True Multifaceted Star Cutaways die set
Ranger - Perfect Pearls Pigment Powder in Perfect Gold
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set
Winnie & Walter - Big Bang Confetti Cutaways die set \
Canson - Mixed Media Paper Spiral Bound Notebook
Scraps of DCWV cardstock in foil and solids
For envelope:
Winnie & Walter - Scenery: Big Bang Confetti stamp set
Versamark ink
Gold embossing powder
Dylusions Ink Spray in Fresh Lime

Hope you liked my card. Thank you so much for stopping by today. I appreciate that you take the time to always leave such positive comments!! Have a great day.

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter - Masking with Dies Challenge
2. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Layering Die Cuts Challenge (I layered the Noel diecuts.)
3. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 5 Challenge (I used 5 little diecut stars on my card.)
4. Word Art Wednesday Weeks #378-379 - Anything Goes
5. CARDZ-TV - Anything Goes Challenge #85
6. Double Trouble Challenge #23 - Wearin' O' the Green
(I participated in each of the Troublemaker Challenges - Green, H2H, and Gold)
7. Heart 2 Heart March Challenge - Wearin' O' the Green
8. TCP March Tuesday Challenge #355 - Envie Envy (decorate an envelope to go with project)
9. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Feminine/Girly
10. Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday February Challenge - Green and Gold
11. ABC Christmas Challenge - EFG are for..... (I used G is for Glitz)
12. Crimbo Crackers - AG Christmas
13. Creative Fingers Challenge #159 - Anything Goes
14. Mod Squad Challenge - Layered Looks (I layered my masked stars over my smooshed background and layered my diecuts, also.)
15. Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #273 - Anything Goes
16. Hero Arts National Craft Month - Dress up an Envelope Challenge 

Luck of the Irish

Hi, Friends........

I don't make very many St. Patrick's Day cards, but I had these adorable Irish die cuts that I had received in a prize a couple of years ago and wanted to use them. I teamed them up with some layered DCWV St. Paddy paper and added sequins from the pot o' gold, of course! Fun little card to get us in the Irish mood. :)
 

I made a matching envelope with the design outwards and cut a tag for the address place......which I placed at a jaunty angle on the front.

Supplies used include:
St. Patrick's Day embellishment assortment received in a prize
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set (scalloped background)
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set (straight edged background + tag)
Doodlebug - Mini Doilies
DCWV paper
Gold sequins from stash
WRMK Envelope Punch Board

Hope my card made you smile today. Maybe this little leprechaun will bring you good luck today on the Ides of March! :)

💚
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Layering Die Cuts Challenge (I layered the background dies)
2. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 5 Challenge (I used 5 embellishments on my card: 3 Irish + 1 doily + sequins.)
3. Hero Arts National Craft Month - Dress up an Envelope Challenge 
4. DL.ART March Linky Challenge - AG
5. CARDZ-TV - Anything Goes Challenge #85
6. Double Trouble Challenge #23 - Wearin' O' the Green
(I participated in each of the Troublemaker Challenges - Green, H2H, and Gold)
7. Heart 2 Heart March Challenge - Wearin' O' the Green
8. TCP March Tuesday Challenge #355 - Envie Envy (decorate an envelope to go with project)
9. Crafter's Castle Challenge #15 - Anything Goes w/ opt. Use Glitter
10. Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday February Challenge - Green and Gold

Wishing You Joy

Hi, Friends......

Seems like I am always playing catch up with the Butterfly Challenge, but this fortnight's challenge was too much fun to let pass by. The theme this time was the Letter B: Butterfly + Bifold, the specialty card type. I also chose Bluebell from the options. Mrs A. has excellent tutorials on a tab on her challenge page for different designs of these cards. 

I used some Christmas gift card credit to buy the Graphic 45 Flutter collection. (Swoon!!) The double-sided sheets were perfect for the bifold design and even included the Bluebell color!! I went for a clean monochrome look.

Here's a shot of it closed. You can also see that I made a simple butterfly medallion to decorate the coordinating envelope, too.

Here it is opened up. A couple butterflies magically appear when it is opened that were hidden before.  :)

I cobbled together a sentiment from several different sets. The line that says "on your" originally said "on your day" (you can see the set in the top photo). I could have done stamp surgery and cut off the "day" to use separately, but I live in fear of losing tiny pieces from my sets. Masking was the perfect solution! All I needed to do was use a bit of washi to cover up the extra word and my stamp stayed intact and I am much less likely to lose part of it!! Yay!!!

Products used include:
Winnie & Walter - In Bloom: Frenchy's Festive Florals stamp set
Winnie & Walter - In a Word: Happy stamp set (the word BIRTHDAY in my sentiment).
Winnie & Walter - LS Exclusives: So Tweet with Evelin T Designs stamp set (for the little heart I attached to the tail of the JOY word)
Winnie & Walter - Purrfect with Evelin T Designs stamp set (sweet little birdie on the sentiment panel)
Graphic 45 Flutter Collection
Distress Ink in Faded Jeans and Pumice Stone, Hickory Smoke
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set (for butterflies and medallion on envelope)
Sizzix - Circles, Scallop die set
M&C Boutique - Large Circle Frame die set
Doily from my stash

Hope you liked how my bifold card turned out. It was fun to try this design!

Hope you are staying safe and warm wherever you live. Winter is not giving up without a fight around here with more snow in the forecast for tomorrow, but then warmer weather in the high 40s is predicted this weekend. It is amazing how spring-like it seems around here, considering we still have a foot of dense snow and ice on the ground! But I can hear water trickling outside in the afternoons, accompanied by birds singing, and the sun is noticeably higher in the sky than it was in the winter. I know spring really IS coming!!! Yay!!

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Butterfly Challenge #118 - B is for.... (I used Bifold + Bluebell)
2. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Layering Die Cuts Challenge (I layered the circle dies)
3. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 3+ Stamp Set Challenge
4. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 5 Challenge (I used 5 butterflies)
5. Winnie & Walter - Altering Stamps by Masking Challenge (I masked off part of a sentiment stamp)
6. Papercraft Challenge #16 - AG w/ opt. Animals
7. TCP March Tuesday Challenge #355 - Envie Envy (decorate an envelope to go with project)
8. Word-Art Wednesday Week #376-377 - AG
9. Penny Black and More March Challenge- Going around in Circles
10. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper March Challenge
11. DL.ART March Linky Challenge - AG
12. The House that Stamps Built - DCC36 Easter or Spring
13. Dare 2B Artzy March Challenge - Anything Goes
14. Hero Arts National Craft Month - Birthday Card

With Appreciation

Hi, Friends.......

Here with a quick last-minute entry into the current Winnie & Walter Rerun Challenge. I already made one entry, but I wanted to try some colored pencils on kraft, inspired by Heather Hoffman's lovely card HERE.

I am very much a beginner at making floral backgrounds so you will have to bear with me here....I had no idea what I was doing!!! lol.... 

I stamped and heat embossed the kitty image and then masked it before stamping a garden of flowers around the little sweetie. I colored the cat with my Prismacolors, blending with Gamsol, and added some highlights with the white pencil to my stamped flowers. I even made an envelope to match!

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Purrfect with Evelin T Designs stamp set
Versafine ink in Smokey Gray
Clear embossing powder
Prismacolor Colored Pencils
Gamsol for blending
Winnie & Walter - In Bloom: Hollie's Festive Florals stamp set
Various dye inks from my stash
Winnie & Walter - Sentimental: Gift stamp set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Tilda Cutaways die set
Core'dinations/Darice Kraft Cardstock
Scrap of DCWV Glitter Cardstock
DCWV Patterned Cork

Thank you for stopping by today. Hope you liked my card. I need a lot of practice with this kind of scene building, but it was fun giving it a try!!!

Our weather is warming here a little bit finally. It was very slushy and slippery today and we are still covered with ice and snow, but it melted my icicles today....so that is progress!! The birds are migrating in and mobbing my birdfeeders since they are having trouble finding anything else to eat right now. A few more days of this warmer weather, though, and they will have some exposed vegetation and bare ground to poke around in. Spring is coming!!!!

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter Rerun #38 - Happy Dance
2. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Layering Die Cuts Challenge (I layered the background dies)
3. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 3+ Stamp Set Challenge
4. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 5 Challenge (I used 5 different flower stamps in my garden)
5. Winnie & Walter Build a Scene Using Masking Challenge
6. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Create a Scene
7. TCP March Tuesday Challenge #355 - Envie Envy (decorate an envelope to go with project)
8. Papercraft Challenge #16 - AG w/ opt. Animals
9. SUYP Challenge #40 - AG opt St. Catrick's Day
10. Craft Stamper TIMI March Challenge - AG with Stamping
11. All Sorts Week #509 - Favorite Season (My favorite season is any season when I can grow flowers!!)
12. Word-Art Wednesday Week #376-377 - AG
13. Dare 2B Artzy March Challenge - Anything Goes
14. The House that Stamps Built - DCC36 Easter or Spring 
15. DL.ART March Linky Challenge - AG 
16. Hero Arts National Craft Month - Fave Coloring Medium (Hard to pick a fave, but I really enjoyed my Prismacolors for this card!) 

Starry Congrats Shaker Card Set

Hi, Friends.......

I'm here to share a set of fun Congrats cards. I think they would be good masculine graduation cards. 

As you might already know, I typically do a lot of layering on my cards. I never like to waste all the covered up "middles" of the lower layers, so I often cut out a smaller shape from the centers to use later. The hole gets concealed by upper layers and the card is lighter and less bulky for mailing, too.

Recently, due to some careless oversight on my part, a few "congrats" die cuts got in contact with some of these holey backgrounds and I realized that they looked great in the holes!! One thing led to another......and the chilling specter of making shaker cards reared its ugly head! Eeek!!! I hardly ever make shakers. A bad childhood experience (or at least one in the not-too-distant cardmaking past) convinced me that this kind of card is NOT for me!! But.....never one to avoid making the same crafting mistake twice, I plunged in and made a whole set of them. Insane, right? Yep. lol....

I am loving stars lately and thought this would be a great way to use a bunch of my gold star confetti. I layered up some star die cuts, too, from the scraps of my congrats die cuts, etc. 

Lucky thing that I somewhat centered these tag cut outs when I made them some months ago.  Honestly, though, it was all completely inadvertent!

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - In a Word: Congrats Cutaway die
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set (black background panel, tag)
Winnie & Walter - Big Bang Confetti Cutaways die set (stars)
Winnie & Walter - Big Balloon Cutaways die set (bow)
DCWV glitter cardstock scraps
Core'dinations/Darice cardstock and scraps
Acetate sheet from stash
Gold star confetti from stash

Hope you liked my starry cards. Thank you for your encouraging comments!!! Stay safe and warm if you are in a cold place.......like I am here in Idaho. Brrrrr......

❤
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this set of cards in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Layering Die Cuts Challenge
2. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Card Set Challenge
3. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 5 Challenge (I used 5 colors: black, medium gray, light gray, gold, and white)
4. Unstampabelles Challenge #87 - Time for Men
5. Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #347 - Use Snippets
6. Crafter's Castle Challenge #15 - Anything Goes w/ opt. Use Glitter
7. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - AG
8. Word-Art Wednesday Week #376-377 - AG
9. DL.ART March Linky Challenge - AG

Roses and Lace on Your Special Day

Hi, Friends.......

I am back with a pretty card that I have been wanting to make for some time. I've had most of these elements together in a bag for months, but couldn't settle on a design for the card. Does that ever happen to you??? I loved the coral lace with the rose print and die cut, but it just wasn't coming together.

I originally had planned on just the open outline of the rose and a simple die-cut sentiment. I decided to layer the rose and ended up jettisoning the die-cut sentiment and stamping a new one. The die-cut patterned paper background didn't look right as one panel, so I threw caution to the wind and cut it into strips. Finally it was looking more like what I wanted. A few dew drops and black round drops topped it all off.

I started out intending this to be a birthday card, but now I think I will save it for a wedding card.  What do you think???

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - In Bloom: Maggie's Roses Cutaways die set
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set (white backround panel)
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Katharine Cutaways die set (rose patterned paper panel that I cut into strips)
Winnie & Walter - Sentimental: Gift stamp set
Versafine ink in Onyx Black
Studio Katia - Clear Round Drops Mix
Adhesive black round drops from stash
Scraps from stash
Thrift store lace from stash

Hope you like my card! Thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Your visits and comments mean the world to me!!

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Layering Die Cuts Challenge (I layered the rose outline over the rose background..as is intended with this set!....and layered two background panels.)
2. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Customizing Die Cuts Challenge (I sliced up the background die-cut panel and also added dew drops to the rose die cuts.)
3. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 5 Challenge (I used 5 black round drops)
4. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Vintage/Past Times
5. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper March Challenge
6. All Sorts Week #509 - Favorite Season (My favorite season is any of them that we are NOT in right now!!! lol.... I love to be out in my garden growing flowers and vegetables, so a warm spring or a moderate summer would be perfect right now!!)
7. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - AG
8. Word-Art Wednesday Week #376-377 - AG
9. Mod Squad - Use Stripes (I made stripes with my strips of patterned paper.)
10. The House that Stamps Built - Anything Goes Challenge F2719

Hip Hip Hooray - House Mouse

Hi, Friends.......

I am here with a last-minute House Mouse entry for this fortnight. I had a lot of fun coloring up this celebratory little critter. I also used some fun Winnie & Walter stencils for their 5th Birthday Bash challenges.  

I also am entering this in the current Winnie & Walter Rerun Challenge where I was inspired by the balloons in Shay's card and the happy critters in each of the cards by Shay, Gayatri, and Heather!

I used several different background techniques for this card.

1. For the balloon background, I masked off the area over the image and stenciled using my new Distress Oxide ink pad in Tumbled Glass. Fun!!!  Then I shaded the edges with regular Distress Ink in Broken China, a slightly deeper blue.

2. For the pink card background, I stenciled with the Winnie & Walter star stencil using Distress Oxide in Spun Sugar and heat embossed with clear powder. I was hoping for a subtle effect.....but it was TOO subtle!!!  lol...   Now I never feel overly constrained to "follow the rules" of craft techniques......so I purposely overcooked the embossing powder to make a narrow halo around each star....just enough to accent them. You don't usually want a halo like this, but I did for this application.

3. I wanted more stars, so I also stamped some coordinating stars on the pink with white pigment ink. As you know, pigment ink stays wet a long time......even when you wield your heat gun at it. That's why I usually like to heat emboss pigment ink. But I wanted a soft matte finish for these white stars. So after I blasted them and they were still tacky here and there on the margins, I went ahead and heat embossed them with clear powder. It still looks matte, but the edges have a tiny bit of gloss. I like it.

Supplies used include:
Stampendous - House Mouse Designs - Confetti Fun stamp
Versafine ink in Smokey Gray
Distress Markers for watercoloring
Winnie & Walter - Big Balloon Cutaways die set
Winnie & Walter - Scenery: Triangled Creative Screenings
Winnie & Walter - Scenery: Big Bang Classic Star Creative Screenings
Distress Oxides in Tumbled Glass and Spun Sugar
Winnie & Walter - Scenery: Big Bang Confetti stamp set
Hero Arts - Unicorn White Pigment Ink
Clear embossing powder
Unity - "Hip Hip Hooray" (still trying to track down the Unity set this grab bag stamp came from.)
Canson - Mixed Media Paper Spiral Bound Notebook
Core'dinations/Darice Cardstock

Hope you like this happy card! Thank you for stopping by today.

❤
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. House-Mouse Challenge #285 - Anything Goes HM w/ opt. of Weather
2. Winnie & Walter - Masking with Stencils Challenge
3. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Layering Die Cuts Challenge (I layered the balloon tie over the balloon end...as is intended with this set!)
4. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 3+ Stamp Set Challenge (I used W&W, Stampendous, and Unity)
5. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - Customizing Die Cuts Challenge (I decorated up the balloon die cut)
6. Winnie & Walter Rerun #38 - Happy Dance
7. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - AG
8. Word-Art Wednesday Week #376-377 - AG
9. Hero Arts National Craft Month - Fave Coloring Medium   (Hard to pick a fave, but I use Distress Markers a lot for coloring.  I do love them!!)

Thank You - Another Aperture Card

Out Out Damn Spot GIF from Cat GIFs

Hi, Friends........

Did you see the aperture card I posted the other day for the Butterfly Challenge? I had so much fun making it that I decided to do another one. I just love the look of this elegant design.

Winnie & Walter has a Masking with Stencils challenge as part of their 5th Birthday Bash, so I got out one my stencils for this card. I knew I was going to make a horizontal oval aperture, so I used the next size larger oval die to make a mask to put under the stencil for the front of the card. I did tone-on-tone embossing with clear embossing powder.

Did you notice I used some pretty rhinestone and pearl swirls?  I usually shy away from these because I have trouble peeling them away from their acetate backing sheets without losing some of the rhinestones.  But I suddenly had a great idea!!!  (uh-oh....)


EASY WAY TO APPLY SWIRLS TO CARDS:
1. I placed the swirls still on their acetate on my card in the exact positions I wanted them and then put a piece of Glad Press 'n Seal over the top of the arrangement, pressing to adhere it to the swirls. (If I recall correctly, Jennifer McGuire's hubby invented this magical wrap!!) 
2. Then I flipped over the piece of plastic with the swirls and gently peeled away the acetates. Voila!! It worked perfectly....no pearls or rhinestones lost!  Peeling the acetates away from the swirls rather than the swirls away from the acetates is THE way to do it.
3. Then I flipped the plastic back over and carefully positioned it before pressing the swirls down onto my card. Oh, yay!!! It worked better than I could have ever dreamed!! I just had to share this with you. :)

For the inside, I used a larger oval from my set and masked the stencil again. This time I used Distress Ink in Shabby Shutters and didn't heat emboss.

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - Scenery: The Leaf Effect Creative Screenings
Versamark ink
Clear Embossing Powder
Distress Ink - Shabby Shutters
K&Co. patterned paper
My Favorite Things Die-namics - Stitched Oval STAX die set
Zva Swirls
Sticker and ribbon from my stash

It was fun playing with one of my stencils today and trying the masking technique. I need to do that more often!! Thank you so much for stopping by today.

❤
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter - Masking with Stencils Challenge
2. Winnie & Walter 5th Birthday Bash - 5 Challenge (I used 5 embellishments: 4 swirls + 1 bow)
3. Unstampabelles Challenge #86 - Bright and Cheerful
4. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Vintage/Past Times
5. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - AG
6. Word-Art Wednesday Week #376-377 - AG
7. All Sorts Week #508 - Spring Flowers
8. CARDZ-TV - Anything Goes Challenge #84
9. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper March Challenge