LDRS Creative - Tiki Hut Pocket Pals 2nd Card

What I really love about the pocket pal sets is that you can do a card two different ways - you can cut it out and put it on a normal 5x7 or 4x6 card front - or you can make it as a "shaped card base" on its own.  I posted a version of this card on a 5x7 card base earlier today, but I actually colored two sets - the second set I used as a shaped card base here:

The card is still interactive - all the doors and windows still open and shut to put characters behind.  Doing it this way, the card is smaller but oh so cute!  It still uses retired LDRS Creative Tiki Hut and You're Jawsome stamp and die sets.

I am also entering this card into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge:  Interactive Card Challenge

Products Used:

LDRS Creative - Tiki Hut Stamps & Dies

LDRS Creative - You're Jawsome Stamp and Dies

Spectrum Noir - Illustrator Markers

Thanks for looking!

LDRS Creative - Tiki Hut Pocket Pals Card

Ok, I may be getting obsessed with LDRS Creative pocket pals.  They are kind of addictive!  I love a good interactive card - and these are great fun if you like to color.  

I created the background with distress oxides in salty ocean, tumbled glass, and antique linen and then splotched some distress paint in picket fence on top to create a more ocean water look.  The rest of the card is all LDRS Creative "Tiki Hut" and "You're Jawsome" sets that I got off HSN awhile back so I don't think it is available except on ebay/etsy these days, so I'm thrilled to finally have time to dig into my stash!  All colored with Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers. 

I love that the doors and windows open and shut so that you can put characters behind them to peek out.

I am entering this card into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge:  Interactive Card Challenge

Products Used:

LDRS Creative - Tiki Hut Stamps & Dies

LDRS Creative - You're Jawsome Stamp and Dies

Distress Oxide - Salty Ocean

Distress Oxide - Tumbled Glass

Distress Oxide - Antique Linen

Distress Paint - Picket Fence

Spectrum Noir - Illustrator Markers

Thanks for looking!

Mother's Day Card - Tim Holtz Products

 I couldn't let the holiday go by without one more Mother's Day card!  I sent this one to my daughter. 

I made the background with Distress Paints in Worn Lipstick, Dried Marigold, and Mustard Seed that I then stamped over with a crackled stamp from the Tim Holtz Stamp and Stencil Set called "Basketweave, Checkerboard, Vintage Roses THMM119" and then uses the basketweave stencil bit from the same set.  After the background was done, I cut it out with the Tim Holtz "Stacked Deckle" die to make the card front and then backed it in brown cardstock.

I made the Tim Holtz die set "Artsy Stems" the focal point of the card.  I cut the dies in mixed media cardstock and colored them with Distress Spray Stains in the colors:  Fossilized Amber, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Squeezed Lemonade, Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade, Crackling Campfire, Saltwater Taffy, Picked Raspberry, Spun Sugar, and Worn Lipstick.  

Luckily, I have a "Happy Mother's Day" retired die from Crafter's Companion in my stash that fit the bill for in front of the flowers that I put on with its shadow die with 3D gel.  Lastly, I added Tim Holtz Idea-ology Hardware Heads to the corners.  

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says Stencil It. 

Thanks for looking!

Products Used:

Tim Holtz - Artsy Stems

Tim Holtz Stamp & Stencil THMM119

Tim Holtz - Stacked Deckle

Distress Ink Spray - Pick your colors

Distress Paint - Pick your colors

Idea-ology Hardware Heads

LDRS Creative - Mermaid Cove Pocket Pals Card

My grand-daughter Scarlett's 6th birthday is coming up in May, so I figured Mermaids would be perfect for her birthday card this year - featuring the LDRS Creative Pocket Pals Mermaids/Shellhouse sets.

I think these sets were exclusive to an HSN autoship a few years ago, so you can only find them on ebay/etsy these days if you are lucky (and I can't even find a picture of the Shellhouse).  This is the first time I've used these - if you like a lot of coloring, pocket pals sets are for you as there a plenty of characters to add to any scene!  There are pretty cool in the fact that the these stamps come with dies that open windows and doors to hide people behind to make it interactive.  I made the background with Mermaid Lagoon, Speckled Egg, Bundled Sage and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks.  And I used a retired stencil "Ocean Waves" sideways on the background to kindof look like seaweed, also from LDRS Creative. The shellhouse stamp/die cut - makes it so the windows and doors open so you can add characters inside those as well, and everything was colored with Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers.

Retired Products Used:

Thanks for looking! #LDRSCreative #PocketPals

Tim Holtz Funky Cactus Mother's Day Card

 I feel ahead of the game this year - doing my Mother's Day card in April instead of at the last minute!  This year's card is featuring Tim Holtz die set "Funky Cactus" as my mom lives in Arizona.  She is moving soon, so I figured this might be the only time I get to use it lol.  

I made the background with distress ink sprays (mustard seed, bundles sage, saltwater taffy, and old paper) on a gel plate.  Then I stamped it with the Stampers Anonymous stamp & stencil set "Dotted & Stitched" for the x's and o's.  And stenciled in some more o's.  Next I added Tim Holtz design tape "trims" to put a ground in to set the pots on.  Then, I added the funky cactus.  And the sentiment is from my stash. #TimHoltz #StampersAnonymous #Sizzix #Ranger #DistressInks

Thanks for looking!

Products Used:

Dotted & Stitched

Funky Cactus

Design Tape - Trims

Art Impressions - Stayin' Afloat Girlfriends Card

I have a goal this year of entering at least 30 challenges before December 31st, and Art Impressions is one of my favorites.  This week, I am trying to channel sunnier skies as I'm tired of the winter blahs and am ready for some time in the sun!  So who else to rely on but my "Girlfriends" stamps from Art Impressions.  I chose the retired set "Stayin' Afloat".  I loved the sentiment stamp especially as I feel inundated with technology lately and miss the days of floating down the river on an innertube.  This was colored with Spectrum Noir Illustrator markers, and I used a black pen & gems to add detail.  The innertubes were stamped and fussycut from patterned papers in my stash.  I made this for the April Showers Challenge at Art Impressions, even though it doesn't really have rain - but I've got clouds!  Thanks for looking!  #artimpressions  #artimpressionschallenge  

Polkadoodles Rebel Birthday Card

I am enjoying the new Polkadoodles digi-stamps from the "Rebel" series, as she reminds me of my teen daughter!  This card make embodies her dislike of "peopling" as an introvert lol.  The card base is a gatefold card that opens in the middle.  The sentiment on front is from the Polkadoodles Rebel Girl Sentiments Digi-Stamps.  The inside of card sentiment is from an internet meme.  I used a Polkadoodles retired paper pad "Daisy Delights" for the background and some of their flower & butterfly stamps to decorate it along with "Funky Borders" for flower stems, and everything is colored with Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers. I am entering this one in challenges at Polkadoodles Digi Choosday Challenge   Gem of a Craft Challenge  We Love to Create  Polkadoodles Friday Challenge  #Polkadoodles #PolkadoodlesRebel

The outside of the card:

The inside of the card:

And I was one of the top 3 picks on the Polkadoodles Friday Challenge, We Love to Create Challenge, and Digi Chooseday Challenge - thank you Polkadoodles :-) 

Products Used:

Polkadoodles Rebel Digi Stamp

Polkadoodles Sentiments

Polkadoodles Reach for the Sky Stamps

Polkadoodles Funky Flower Stamps

Polkadoodles Adorable Floral Stamps

Polkadoodles Funky Borders Stamps

Spectrum Noir Illustrators

Thanks for looking!

Polkadoodles Hoppy Easter Card

Another Easter Card for this year.  This card features the digi-stamp called "Hoppy Easter" from Polkadoodles. 

To make this card I printed the digi-stamp twice.  Once for the overall stamp, and once to cut up for pieces to make the rabbit and chick bobbleheads with action wobblers and to add extra Easter eggs and butterflies.  I colored the images with Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers and added the clouds from a die cut in my stash.  #Polkadoodles  @Polkadoodles  #PolkadoodlesEaster

Products used:

Polkadoodles Hoppy Easter Digi-stamp

Action Wobblers

Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers

Art Impressions - Cheers My Deers Christmas Card

There is one fundamental truth about making Christmas Cards for me . . . if I want to color them, I need to do them in March - July.  If I wait until August, I've run out of time and will be looking for "quick and easy" cards instead.   So - Christmas in March it is!  

I made this card to join the Art Impressions "Inside Out" Challenge, which means we had to decorate the inside of the card AND the outside. 

The card is called a "3 Step Card Base" that I made from the template library by Crafter's Companion, but the card features Art Impressions "Cheers My Deers" stamp set.  On the front of the card, I have both lovely ladies enjoying a cuppa with their Christmas antlers on.  The background is a Polkadoodles stencil using Ranger Distress Ink Lucky Clover.  On the inside, I have the ladies cut apart and one peeking through the window to chat.  The paper inside is also Polkadoodles. Add some string and gems and you're done!  #ArtImpressions @ArtImpressions #ArtImpressionsChallenge

Thanks for looking!

Products Used:

Art Impressions - Cheers My Deer Stamps

Polkadoodles Holly Stencil

Polkadoodles Christmas Paper

Crafter's Companion Template Library

Polkadoodles - Easter Card

 Polkadoodles is my go-to for cards for my grand-daughters as their stamps are just too cute!  This card is a left side stepper card and features the Polkadoodles stamp sets "Spring Showers" and "Hoppy Birthday".  I am entering this card in the Polkadoodles Friday Challenge Blog - Anything Goes.  

The background was made with sparkle ink pots from Crafter's Companion (in blue and green for the grass) - so it sparkles like glitter, but the photo doesn't do it justice.  The grass stencil is also from Polkadoodles.  The sun and clouds are from old retired LDRS Creative die cut sets, but the face on the sun is from an LDRS Creative die set that is still available.  Lastly, the sentiment is from Tim Holtz.  All coloring was done with Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers.  #polkadoodles  #polkadoodleseaster

Products Used:

Moon dies - LDRS Creative

Spring Showers - Polkadoodles

Hoppy Birthday - Polkadoodles

Grass Stencil - Polkadoodles

Crazy Talk - Tim Holtz

Sparkle Ink Pots - Crafter's Companion

Illustrator Markers - Crafter's Companion

Thanks for looking!

St. Patrick's Day Card - Art Impressions

 I'm entering a new challenge over at Art Impressions - the green galore challenge!  I've wanted to make a St. Patrick's Day card for awhile, so this was just the push I needed!  

This card is a twisted easel design.  It features the Art Impressions Girlfriends Stamp Set #4756 "Flaunt It" but it also has some accessories and sentiments from the Art Impressions Stamp Set #5006 "Sham-rock".  

Admission - I absolutely LOVE the girlfriends stamp sets.  They just make me smile.  So I wanted to use one of them, but give it a St. Patricks Day feel.  I colored and accessorized the "Flaunt It" set, and I tried out the technique of using patterned paper as part of the stamped image - for 2 out of 3 of their dresses.  I learned something important on that technique - it's easiest to do if you do large areas only lol.  I tried to do all 3 dresses, but the one on the end needed to be cut in several small pieces and put back together - which I promptly messed up, so I colored hers instead.  I used patterned papers from an older retired Doodlebug St. Patrick's Day stash.  These ladies got their party on with the beer, bowler hat, and 4-leaf clover from the "Sham-rock" stamp set.  

I try to avoid the plain white background using these stamp sets - so I greened it up by coloring it with greens and then added some dots in with a stencil THS006 "Dot Fade" from Tim Holtz so it wouldn't look a flat green.  Lastly I added the sentiments, bow, and gems to finish it off.  #artimpressions  #artimpressionschallenge  #artimpressionsgirlfriends

Products Used (along with Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers):

Flaunt It Stamps

Sham-rock Stamps

Tim Holtz - Dot Fade

Art Impressions - Old Guys Club aka Dad's Birthday Card

Dad turned 88 today!  And to honor him, my card focused on the stamp set #4474 "Old Guys Club" lol.  He's earned it!  I didn't want to just put it on the front - so I made the card front a window to see the stamp set inside of it.

I colored the stamps with Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers and drew in the background.  The patterned paper is from Polkadoodles.  And then I just threw in some brads for interest.  #ArtImpressions #Polkadoodles #SpectrumNoir

Thanks for looking!

Products Used:

Art Impressions - Hat Ladies Birthday Card

March is a big birthday month for me - my dad and his lady friend both have early March birthdays and I love to use Art Impressions stamps for them!  For his lady friend I used the SC0678 Got Style stamp set.  

I stamped the hat ladies onto a white background and colored them with Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers and added colored pearls.  I also used a Crafter's Companion edgable for the "Happy Birthday" and then tied on a ribbon.  Patterned papers are by Polkadoodles.  #ArtImpressions #Polkadoodles #CraftersCompanion #SpectrumNoir

Thanks for looking!

Products Used:

Tim Holtz Mushroom Birthday Card

My youngest daughter has not outgrown her love of mushroom themed decor and clothing, so with her birthday coming up I scrounged the stash for a way to accommodate that and found Tim Holtz provides as usual . . .

For this card - the background paper was made with various distress inks and oxides.  And then I used the "Ledger" stamp set from Stampers Anonymous to give it some character.  The main focus was done with the funkies - "Funky Wreath" and "Funky Foilage" by Sizzix/Tim Holtz, but I didn't want it to look "Fall" as her birthday is in March, so I pulled in some spring-ish colors and flowers to go with the mushroom focal point.  The sentiment is by Sizzix/Tim Holtz "Sentiment Words - Thin" which may be retired now, and I popper some "Hardware Heads" in the corners.  #TimHoltz  #StampersAnonymous  #Sizzix  #Distressinks

Thanks for looking!

Products Used:

Art Impressions - Backyard Boss Slimline Birthday Card

Art Impressions Challenge - Bloom Where You're Planted

I always struggle with birthday cards for men.  There are so many products that work for cards for women and children, but not as much is made for men.  And when I do find good male products, I often sit on them and overthink it before using them so male cards are still a challenge for me!

This card features the "Backyard Boss" stamp from Art Impressions #4377.  My other half loves to go play with his leaf blower in the yard, so this is perfect!  The background is in 3 layers.  The bottom layer is watercolor paper with grass and clouds stenciled on it - from Polkadoodles and LDRS.  The next layer is a piece of acetate that I splashed with alcohol inks and blew out to make a colorful background that shows nicely when put over the white paper.  On top of that is the main layer of leaves and the sentiment.  And the main character is pushed out on foam squares to add dimension.  The leaves are from an older Polkadoodles autumn stamp set.  The leaves and the "Backyard Boss" are colored with alcohol markers - my preference is Spectrum Noir Illustrators for markers.  #artimpressions, #artimpressionschallenge, #alcoholinks, #spectrumnoir, #stamping

Thanks for looking!

Woohoo!  I just won the lucky random winner on this challenge for Art Impression.  Thank you so much - I'm so excited!!!

Products Used: