Well, hello there! It's been so long, I was afraid I might have forgotten how to do this!!! But so far, so good!  Thanks for stopping in!  I have a card for PTI's blog hop this month.  This was a little out of my comfort zone, but I was determined!...

I apologize for the poor lighting, but daylight was done when the card was, and I'm just not set up for good artificial light.  There's a conglomeration of stamps and leaves up there...4 different PTI sets that I can see right off hand.  It was fun to get my fingers inky...Spring Break and this blog hop gave me a good excuse!  I have a couple other projects to share below...both a year old...but the season is perfect now!!!

 This one was made last Spring with no time to post.  I actually just gave it away last week as a Secret Snowman reveal card.  All stamps are PTI.  And below was last year's Easter goodies for my grand- girls and one of my sons.  The second oldest went to see them out-of-state on Easter, which was his Spring Break. I packed all the parts and pieces in his luggage, and my daughter-in-law got it all out and ready for Easter Sunday...I think it was fun for both of us!!!

 She told me she felt like Martha Stewart!;)

The little 'carrots' were super simple...they're just the sour cream style containers you can make...I'm sure you've seen 'em around.  (PTI's new Carrot Treat Boxes would be SO cute to use though, wouldn't they?) Each was filled with different candy, of course.  And the burlap 'baskets' were cut and made quickly and easily, as well...Their shape before stitching being much like Papertrey's Stitched Tray dies.

 Uh, oh...gotta go, or I'm gonna miss the Hop deadline!!!

 If you have any questions about stamp sets used, give me a holler!!!

Thanks again for stopping in!

Hello, all! It's been about a year since I posted...WOW!!!  Obviously, life with 3 growing kids has totally taken over any potential free time. I'm currently telling myself I deserve a little break, though, as I'm experiencing what I'm sure is a very brief lull in all the action of daily life. So I very intentionally set aside a few minutes last week...out of desperation...to play along and create with a favorite person/card-maker, Mellisa, and her recent MIM challenge...

~Spritzed Stamps~

I used to love doing this technique...especially in the fall with PTI's Leaf Prints...they were always the perfect images to mix all those pretty fall colors together with...and it just seemed to come so naturally! But I think I've lost my touch...I've thrown one-too-many water color panels in the trash this week!!!  At long last I did come up with something I was happy with...

...with Heart Prints...another tried and true set!

Awhile back I had time to make a couple couple cards using Melissa's 'Choose Joy' set.  Thought I would share those since it could be another year before I post again!...

I absolutely adore the sentiments in this set and paired them with some delicate MFT blossoms and leaves...

This last one was was a graduation card this spring...thought the sentiment was absolutely perfect for the occasion!

OK...time marches on!  I would like to think I'll have time to join in on a couple of the SAF challenges at PTI before Tuesday, but I don't know...it's very 'if-y';)

Thank you, Melissa for sharing your lovely heart, talent and inspiration week after week!

And thanks to any visitors popping by!!!

Hey, everyone!  I've been working any spare moment I can get this week to get some cards done for MFT's third and final round of Summer School.  These challenges have been so fun…they make ya think, without being too restrictive.  I'm barely getting them in on time, though…band season has begun…with lots of sewing…and we have a new puppy eating up my spare time…and my arms…and my legs…Good golly his teeth are sharp!!!  But anyway…on to the cards…

The first couple were originally for the 'repetition' challenge.  But now that they're done, I think they fit a couple other challenges, too...

So my first thought was obviously repeating the hearts for a linear design, but varying them with papers, embellishments, etc.  The three hearts gave the linear look I was going for, and breaking them up with the sentiment added a little interest. I enjoyed the DT's samples of contrasting designs for the various challenges and thought that would be fun, so in creating my own contrasting designs, they ended up fitting in well with the 'soft vs. hard' challenge. I've used softer elements on the original design, giving a more feminine look..

I varied the embellishments to balance the hard and soft…hard, clean buttons vs. a soft layered airy flower, and the open doilies, trim and stitching being softer elements that balance out the strong, straight, vertical lines of the design.  This card also uses the element of less saturated colors that add to the softness, while the next one…

…does not!  Purer colors, cleaner lines, less open and scalloped doilies…and less embellishments turn this same design into a more masculine look!  The contrast of the colors used makes this set of cards an example of the variance of 'color saturation', and this second one also fits into the 'symmetry/asymmetry' challenge.

The next pair of cards were made with the 'color temperature' challenge in mind…

Again for the fun of seeing the contrast, I've made two…one for cool colors...

…a somewhat soft and subtle 'hello'…(and maybe a bit blurry - sorry!) and one for warm color temperatures…

…a bolder, happier 'hello'!

And that's all I was able to accomplish!  But I have to say…summer school's never been so fun!!!

And I must also say thanks for all the extra inspiration by the MFT team!

I'll let you go, but I thank you for your visit!

Hello!  Having a little more time to craft recently, I had one more crafty goal for the week…I wanted to participate in WPlus9's (Joni's) sketch challenge…

This challenge deadline is about up and there are so many lovely projects that people have come up with…I was a little overwhelmed and wondering what I could do with the sketch and the stamps that I had that hadn't already been done.  I'm not sure what made me think of my tiny millinery flowers I've always loved so much, but I decided to try to put them with the sweet little leaves from Fresh Cut Florals to create a delicate little spray…and I loved the results!… 

I thought they were a perfect little match…with some soft small-scale stripes, a tiny linen thread bow, delicate sentiment (from the same set), and just a touch of sparkle from some sequins and glittered card stock (cut with a Paper Smooches border).  Loved making this card, and was so glad I got to participate in Joni's challenge this time around!

Thanks so much for stopping in!

Oh, goodness!!!  What a busy and productive summer!!!  So little time for crafting or blogging, though, so it's extra nice to be here today!  I hated to miss out on MFT's first round of Summer School…loved all those lessons!  But I've enjoyed this last round on color...

First up for me is the Primary Color challenge, and one thing I was made aware of in trying to complete several challenges is that I need more MFT images. Since I seem to be in short supply of those,  you'll see lots of MFT die use today.  Considering that primary colors are not a color scheme I work with much, and I'm short on images, for this challenge, I drew inspiration from some pretty classic-looking patterned paper to match up with a little blossom building...

(The floral paper at the bottom with blue flowers/yellow centers is what first caught my eye to incorporate into this challenge, but I struggled and struggled and fiddle-farted around until most of it was covered!!!:(

This one uses cuts from Stitched Rounded Rectangles, Blueprints 22, Happy Hellos, Peek-a-boo Circles, Mini Delicate Doilies (appears that the flower has been discontinued)

Next up was the Complimentary Color Challenge…colors opposite each other on the color wheel.  I chose a favorite combo…violet and yellow and softened them here...

Cuts on this card are from  Layered Leaves, Plentiful Petals, Blueprints 22

I think the next card fits a couple categories…but I'm entering it in the Gallon/Quart/Pint Challenge with a gallon of pretty pink, a quart of green and just a pint of Kraft...

Die cuts on this one have all been mentioned above.

Finally, for the Monochromatic Challenge...

I pinned a card awhile back, found HERE (along with a tutorial) using chevrons that had been cut up and shifted around for a cool and colorful inlaid look.  My MFT chevron die was one of the first purchases I made from them, so I thought it would be fun to try it with this technique and one of my favorite colors…aqua…in lots of different shades, of course, for a watery monochromatic look. To create my panel, I watercolored a large panel in a variety of blue-y greens and cut chevron strips from that, and also from a deeper turquoise glitter paper and a lighter iridescent paper.  I like the contrast those specialty papers added.  The white 'hello' kept the light airy and summery look I was going for.

And that's it! Thanks for hangin' in there with me…it was SO nice to have time to craft again.  And thanks to MFT for this fun summer inspiration!  I was fortunate enough have won a $100 gift voucher from a recent product launch hop…SO thankful to have those fun products to work with!

Thanks again for dropping in!!!

Happy Hump Day, everyone!  Crazy…me posting 2 days in a row, I know…but I won't bother you again this week, I promise.  I started coloring this little golden oldie from MFT this past weekend and used colors from their challenge (HERE) in case I got it done in time.  Looks like I barely did...

My daughter really likes her…and teacher appreciation week will be here before you know it!!!

The next one was just for fun, and with a neighbor in mind...

I've had the Big Hugs stamp set for quite some time and have been waiting patiently to get the coordinating dies.  Couldn't wait to play once they came!

Hope you have a great ending to your week!

I appreciate, as always, that you stopped by today!

Hello strangers!  Wow!  Life just grabbed me by the tail there for a bit and it seemed there was NO time for crafting.  I was in serious need of some crafty therapy today, though.  Started today's card yesterday with MFT's current, but all-but-over sketch…

I was determined to finish the darn thing today, although the crafting God's did not seem to be with me.  Nothing was going right...all the way down to my blog loading up for me to get it posted in time!!!  And ya know what???  After all this trouble…I'm not even sure if I like the darned thing!!!  But determined I am…they don't all have to speak to me, I guess.  You'll have to tell me what you think…(but kindly, please)…

Looking at it here…I think it's the colors…I usually pick a cheerier palette, even though I love that paper!

Thought it might come in handy at graduation time.  I used MFT's Peek-a-boo Circle Window die and the Stitched Rounded Rectangle die…both of which have come in very handy.  My die collection was in need of some stitchiness, (I know…not a word!) so I've been enjoying those!  The sentiment elements, including the die cut, were from Simon Says…the stars…from Papertrey.  

OK…gotta move on and I know you need to do the same!!!

Thanks so much for dropping in!