Something a Little Different

Something a Little Different

My last sample for A Day for Daisies at Die Cut Divas is definitely NOT a sample for the challenge.  I really like this sea image and wanted to do something different with it.  I cropped most of the image and kept the face.  I mounted the image panel to a blue panel to the gray card stock.  The blue brings out the images in a dramatic way.

I used a white pen to highlight the hair and I love it.  Not too much, but just enough.

Supplies:
A Day for Daisies Water World
Die-namics Stitched Rec STAX
Copic markers
Cuttlebug
pre-made gem embellishment
Uni-ball Signo broad white pen

Charming Daisy Gal

The Sponsor for Die Cut Divas is A Day for Daisies

Check out the challenge (buttons) and enter the challenge of the month.

 I've used the beautiful image below a few years ago, but I so love the ways you can color or use different elements to make a truly unique card.  How can you resist?  I couldn't.

A Day for Daisies "Braid in My Hair" image is here.

My post at Die Cut Divas is here.

And I love this image too.  I cropped this and colored, then found some creative paper and went die-cut button happy with it too.  I have to say I love the hair color - wish it were mine!  I so love these images.

A Day for Daisies "Pearls in My Hair" image is here.

Cameo Lady

Morgan's ArtWorld is challenging us to make a shaped card. No Square and No Rectangular cards,  Oh My Gosh, how easy is that?  Ever since I discovered that it was so much easier to us dies than to cut by hand, I use dies, all shapes of them.  This lady is a beauty and she has such a wistful expression.  I hope you join the challenge  I so love the images and hope you do too.

Supplies:
Morgan's ArWorld Cameo 6
Lifestylecrafts.com Nesting Frame 4
Die-namics Stitched Circle STAX
Cuttlebug
Copic markers
Pre-made flowers and brad
Kaisercraft Key to my Heart Collection paper

CAS Month and I Can't Stop

I'm keeping it simple this month.  It seems bubbly things tickle my nose and sometimes lull me to sleep.  That's why I added that sentiment because I think of warm fuzzies.

You can purchase the digital kit at a2z Scrapbooking here

A little damp brush and some distress inks made this a quick card to make.

Sentiment from an old Hero Arts stamp set

You can find your own bottle at a2z Scrapbooking here.

This wonderful little Eiffel Tower is from the same digital kit as the first.  

You can find it at a2z Scrapbooking here.

To see the other card I made, follow me to A2Z Scrapbooking.

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!Hope you’ll join in our May Challenge of Clean and Simple with your Hero Arts stamps, dies and stencils. And, if you need some new supplies, don’t forget to shop at a2z Scrapbooking..  You can find me at A Bit of This and That.

Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotion

VINTAGE LADY

Join the challenge at Die Cut Divas HERE.

We have a photo inspiration for you and the photo inspired this card.  

I see the buttons with a vintage view. 

A HISTORY OF BUTTONS

In Stories of Mother Goose, little Tommy Tucker says, "You know what a charm string is. Just ever so many pretty buttons strung together and worn around your neck." Nineteenth century folk wisdom had it that a girl should acquire 999 buttons on a string. When she added the thousandth, she would meet her Prince Charming.

These strings of buttons, sometimes called "memory strings," were a fad of the 1860s that remained popular until 1900. Delightful stories have been handed down. One is that each friend and member of the family donate a button. Another is that a charm string was a game or rivalry, not a romantic pursuit. Gaining the thousandth button doomed the girl to spinsterhood.

Another story credits the idea of charm strings to a mid-19^th century newspaper competition.

In all these folklore accounts, there are similar rules and requirements for gathering the buttons: They should be one-of-a-kind, the prettiest and most brilliant available. Preferably they should be gifts from friends, suitors or family members or traded with another stringer. They should not be bought. While unfinished, the charm string was kept in plain view to inspire visitors to contribute buttons and also to boast and tell colorful stories of acquisition. "This button was given by Aunt Abigail from the gown she wore to the Inaugural Ball," or "this button was from Grandfather's Civil War uniform."

I wanted something light in color and I think this worked out the way I wanted. 

Supplies:
A Day for Daisies Lady Black Feathers
Lifestyle Crafts dies - circles - nesting
Copic markers
Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd Signo Broad Pen - white

Free Image from Morgan Fitzsimmon

Are you interested in receiving new release Morgan Fitzsimmon's images for Free!!!


Then head over and become a member of Morgans ArtWorld Facebook Group where you will see loads of inspiration,

 with members having the chance to receive free images.

You've got nothing to lose by signing up!

CAS and San Francisco By the Bay

This stamp was made for CAS.  If you just keep it simple, it'll let your card show its beauty.   I'd love to see this stamp used in other ways too.  You wonderful creators of magic on cards will be able to run with this stamp.  And I want to see what you do!  As soon as I saw this in the Summer Hero Arts Catalog, I knew I wanted this stamp.  How could I not?  I may not be a home grown Californian, but I was transplanted when I was 16 and wouldn't live anywhere else.  Why San Francisco?  It's a two-hour drive down to THE CITY and Hero Arts too.  

You know when you buy a stamp and have the rubber almost melting in your hands because you're not letting it go?  AND THEN... You think to yourself, "What am I going to do with it?  You have not a clue in your head.  Well, for sure, that did NOT happen with this stamp.  I just wanted to use a little watercolor, some spatter and just play.  I figured, if any came out half decent, that was a plus.  Maybe that was the way to go, because, even the cards in back are not too bad.   I hope you try your hand on this or any of the other new city, plus Hawaii & Texas state stamps.

A plop and splatters - anything works.

Even orange splatters work.

A light water color (which I didn't like at first) and some splatters achieve a nicely finished card.

Destination San Francisco has been restocked just for you.
I had picked up a splatter brush from my local stamp shop, which I love - see here. 

If something is not in the store, please use the "Request Custom Order" button to order it.

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping). 

Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

Hope you’ll join in our May Challenge of Clean and Simple with your Hero Arts stamps, dies and stencils. See our opening post here.  And, if you need some new supplies, don’t forget to shop at a2z Scrapbooking..  You can find me here.

Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotion

As CAS as They Come

CAS and color.  I used white, pink, gray and yellow cardstock.  I liked my first design and went for it on all five cards here.    I love this butterfly from Hero Arts and still have the stamp set that this butterfly first came out on.  However, you can choose the digital files for this same stamp HERE.   

Card base above is yellow

I chose a deep green background and stamped the butterfly and sentiment directly on the card.  

Four of my cards with this same design.  .  

You may recognize the wonderful sentiment from a new set, Color Layering Butterflies (CL867), which is another of the beautiful butterfly sets Hero Arts put out.If something is not in the store, please use the "Request Custom Order" button to order it. 

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

Hope you’ll join in our May Challenge of Clean and Simple with your Hero Arts stamps, dies and stencils. And, if you need some new supplies, don’t forget to shop at a2z Scrapbooking.. 

Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotion

So Many Items I Want to Post

I thought I'd share two items today.

1. I thought this was very cool.  There were many wonderful submissions.

This is the card that won.

2.Here are two  Retirement cards for a co-worker.

The first card is filled, so I had to make a second card.

Supplies for first card:
Elizabeth Craft Designs: Hot Air Balloons
Memory Box CItyscape Nightline
Memory Box Cityscape Silhouette
Little B (Handwritten - one ofthe handwritten words)
Kaisercraft butterfly stamp & die

Supplies for second card:
Elizabeth Craft Designs Lighthouse
Elizabeth Craft Designs Beach Edges
Elizabeth Craft Designs Dream
Memory Box Marshmallow Clouds
Some Distress inks sponged around the background and edges of the clouds

Vintage Charm

A Day for Daisies is sponsoring Die Cut Divas and I've chosen this image to be my first card for the challenge.  You'll have to see the inspiration photo to make your project.  I hope you're ready.

Arlene thought all the buttons had a vintage flair, so does her lady.  Arlene's Vintage Water Lily Dress is surrounded by lace and some faux vintage buttons (die-cut paper).

You can visit Arlene at Die Cut Divas - this sample as well as others are your for inspiration.

Supplies:for card abovd

A Day for Daisies 

Die for Buttons - unknown manufacturer

Copic markers

Lace

Gray Cardstock

Cuttlebug

I had to do more than one.  I had fun coloring and framing these damsels. 

I just love the flair of the woman in the card below.  The colors, background and different elements create a sassy lady!

Hope you liked them all.  I really will hate to give this last card away.