Celebrating World Bee Day...

 

It's almost 7:00 on Saturday morning May 21, yesterday I had my infusion treatment for Myeloma.  I get this every four weeks, and in addition to the "Darzalex" drug I get benadryl and steroids.   So every 4 weeks I pull an "upall nighter."   Tonight the time passed fairly quickly as I thought about each challenge and what I wanted to include on the card and then doing the cutting and die cutting  the stamping of the bees, the creating of the tag etc. and then the assembling of my card.     I used Digi Bumblebee paper from Sweet Shop Designs on Etsy.   They were having a sale so I got 7 packages for under $7.00 ( I couldn't buy a sheet of 8x10 for a dollar at the local kraft stores)...The embossing folder was included in a SimonSaysStamp monthly kit and it is available by sizzix.   The base papers are SU black and SU (retired) Bumblee Bee.   The embellishments are part of the SU "Hues of Happiness" suite.and they are in the same color family as one of the stripes in the cross piece.  I used all the colors of the strip at the least twice, which is why I used the little narrow gray ribbon (from a local store) on the tag.   The verse was downloaded from this shop on ETSY and though it was pricey, it came in multiple sizes and it's the first my verse my daughter memorized when she was around three or four years old, so for birthday this coming September I am going to have it put on a canvas for her wall.  I really enjoy using digi stamps and paper, the storage is so easy.   It's all stored in categories on a flash drive, so that accessing is easy enough and learning to use it has been somewhat of a learning curve...but most of questions can be answered by googling it.  

JUST ADD INK

While browsing possible challenges to do with no particular idea in mind, I visited the above challenge and thought CASE(ing) myself might be fun.   I guess since I have used some sketches repeatedly I have already done that, but just not thought of it that way.   I have often finished a card thinking I should have done this or that...I must admit with my "health issues"  I find it challenging to even make a card some days.   Enough of that,   Here is my card I "cased."   It was a challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches.

I took liberties with the card, reversed the sketch and used different colors, but I knew I wouldn't mind!  I used Bible Verses on both cards, that was not the reason I picked this card to CASE...It just turned out I wanted to do this Bible Verse so it's not as playful as a lot of bee cards.  The card size is 6 1/2 by 4 1/2.  The tag with the verse and the bees themselves were too large for regular size, but it will fit fine in a 5/7 envelope.   Here is the card I made at the first week and it is playful.  I am going to make one for each of the ladies in my swap group and I will include a handmade chip board easle that I am making so they can place the card on their desks or somewhere in their kitchen.   I believe they will appreciate them.

CAS COLOURS AND SKETCHES

Festive Friday

For Festive Friday ( a challenge new to me)   I made sure I read their instructions carefully following the 3 challenge limit and also included many elements of their list on my card.

Global Design Project had matching theme to the Festive Friday Challenge, but there were many elements that I have included that I believe my card eligible for this challenge as well. 

Global Design Project

 

I know I've may have been verbose (excessively wordy) with this post, so if you read or looked at any of it then thank you for taking the time to do this.   I appreciate comments and Smiles and best wishes to all of you in the cardmaking community,                          Kathy

(PS the steroids hype me up, this day I will probably a lot of my cleaning done, and tonight I will crash at about 9:00 PM.)

Colorful Thank You Card....

Creating with color is a challenge.   But for this card, I decided to pull out all the stops.   The verdict is out....the only new product is the Evening Evergreen SU card base.  I computer generated the panel with the horizontal stripes.   I really wasn't sure what colors it would be.    The sketch is from Try Stampin on Tuesday and I used a sentiment to meet the criteria over at Global Design Project.    Thanks to all of you for stopping in.  Comments are welcome.     May all of you stay safe and healthy!         Kathy

 

Digi Cherry Blossoms...

Sketches are definitely my favorite challenge cut I really like the Monochromatic challenge at Global Design Project so I decided to combine it with the FabFri sketch for this week.  I started out making an A2 card, but since things happen--it is a little closer to a square than a rectrangle.   The frame was created using the SU rectangles and what I think to be a piece of SU from awhile back that my SU friend gave me for my card ministry.  I downloaded the cherry blossoms with 3 sentiments from Power Poppy.  I printed the base and then colored with multiple shades of pink...I finished the look by fussy cutting some extra flowers and poppy them.  I used Wink of Stella, but you can't see it very well in the picture...Using my stamparatus I stamped the SU sentiment from Color Me Happy (retired).    I guess I should have titled this post,  A whole lot of pink going on...   Thanks for looking and comments are welcome!    Kathy

Monochromatic Hello...

WORDart Wednesday

I tend to not be adventuresome when it comes to colors so it's no surprise that I went for a modified monochromatic look.   The papers came from my stash,  the base paper does not have a crease as the picture seems to indicate--that's actually how the paper came with weathered looking places.  I fancy cut the flowers from the edge of a floral patterned paper, carefully cutting the green leaves away.   There are three edge pieces that comprise the vertical cascade of flowers.  I popped the largest one near the sentiment (which is from Color Me Happy SU retired).   I also made the butterflies from the floral paper using the SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings that I have had for years.   I used black to layer them with the next size up butterfly.  I topped it all of with SU Pearls.   It was fun to make...I hope it's monochromatic enough--since black is a neutral!  Thanks for stopping in and comments are always appreciated.    Kathy

Diagonal a flutter...

My "butterfly" card could be used for many occasions and for many different folks in our lives.  It's not a "wow" I can't believe my eyes card...but is fun!  It was easy and the CASE challenge at Global Project Design provided frame work for me to do something with this cute paper (from who knows where-a friend was cleaning out her stash and I inherited it).   When I first looked at the challenge card I noticed  the diagonal sweep of the colors that comprise the circles and  that the circles seemed to be floating.  I think that the Stampin Up Sell-A-Bration Botanical Butterfly DSP would be perfect for this CASE (but I don't have any yet)....Who knows there is always March!   I'm in love with the new "Rectangle" thin cuts from SU so I cut the sentiment panel using one of them, and the sentiment is from SU Dragonfly Dreams.  Not a lot to say, but time spent posting this gave me a break from the laundry, but now it's back to the grind.  Thanks for stopping by, and happy Paper Trails to you!         Kathy

GDP entry, Encouragement...

I really liked the simplicity of the GDP #170 sketch.   A very sweet friend gave me a couple of packs of borders and some Bible Verse stickers for Christmas.   I used one of the borders (cutting it twice and popping the second one to give it depth.   Depth is what comes to mind when I use the Tranquil Tide DSP.   I also think of Depth when I read the words of Psalm 130.5.  Waiting is the most difficult thing to do it seems, partly because we live in a day and age where instant gratification is possible!   But at one time or another we find ourselves waiting because that is all we can do...Sometimes the season of waiting is short sometimes it seems it will never end.   I need this reminder from the wonderful words of the LORD through the Psalmist and perhaps you do too.  May this message bless you today!          Thanks for looking,   Kathy

Supplies

K&Company borders

Sentiment: Verve printed on center of thin Doily and cut out

SU Tranquil Tide CS and DSP

Glossy Effects on dots of border

Frame Die Cuts from Poppystamps.com

Be Still...Psa.46.10

Before "brayering"

After "brayering"

For a few days, I kept looking at the paper that designer "Connie Collins" used for her card this week at Global Design Project Copy And Selectively Edit challenge.  I was drawn to the white space and lack of complete coloring in of the images in the paper.   It wasn't until after I decided to use my Petal Passion DSP from the Spring Occasions SU and make my own paper that I realized it was from the Share What You Love Collection in the current book which I do not own.    My attempt at coloring with a little bit more free spirit may have or may not have worked...but overall I like it.   I basically colored in loosely with water color crayons and pencils in the images and on the white space of the paper panels that I had cut to card size.  Then I laid the panels out on wax paper and put wet paper towels (rung out well and smoothed back out) on top and used a pastry roller to brayer it.  I then carefully removed the paper towels and let it dry (you could see pattern from reverse side until it dried).  Don't worry,  I don't use the pastry roller for baking (easier to buy flaky pie crust)...It would have been very time consuming to have used a waterbrush for that much coloring.  Anyway the pictures tell the story....I based the design of the card at the top loosely on Connie's card.   When I assembled I liked the slightly curled paper look, so I didn't glue really close to edges.

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week-end!   Kathy

Global Design Project

Candy Cane Christmas...

A few weeks ago I found this candy cane digital stamp at Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley.   I downloaded planning on using it in the future for a Merry Monday Christmas Challenge.   So here it is for their last challenge--create a rustic card.   I always enjoyed visiting this site whether I joined in the challenge or not.  In second grade I made a card with a candy cane on it...I was so happy a couple of months ago when I was going through some old papers of mine and my mothers to find this card.  I'm not sure if one of the earliest cards I ever made is rustic, but it is definitely "vintage" since it was made 58 years ago! (pictures below)  I decided to use the CASE challenge at Global Design Project.   I like the layering of the inspiration card and it served as a guide to the assembling of my card. I fussy cut the image that I printed on cs, and then I started using red colored pencils to color the candy cane, but it just wasn't vibrant enough so I colored over the pencil coloring with my SU real red marker...The bow is lot more vibrant and almost looks velvety.   Perhaps having a coat of colored pencil under the stripes of the canes made them come out more of the real red color.   Because the image is printed, it does blend in some of the black of the detailing.  I used Gumball green for the leaves.  I colored pink pearls for the red berries with a sharpie.  I added some die cut twigs from natural which I painted with wink of stella for a glittery glow.  I added nuvo shimmer to the green leaves.  These details don't really show well in the picture.   I plan on making more of these!       Thanks for stopping by,   Kathy

thinking of you..dots

What kind of stamper am I?  Do I have a "style?"  How about "One Thing leads To Another"  For the last year or so, I've given up trying to figure out where to put things on my card, in favor of "sketch challenges" as well as other challenges.   For today's card I started with a piece of white cardstock which I stamped black dots on.  I followed the sketch closely and added the little stamped black dotted flowers as embellishment.  I still struggle with white space.   I may have over-dotted it, but I like it and "art" is what we make it!  I am also linking this to "Global Design Projects." Their theme this week is Love It, Live It, Share It.  I love the challenges that help me grow as a card marker, and I try to do something each day toward a goal of 1 or 2 challenges a week, that's the live it part.  Finally, I started this blog to share what I love.  I am persuaded that my love of colors and shapes and textures and all things stamping is part of my core, in my DNA.   This is one of the reasons that I have chosen John 15:5 as my  verse to share with you (in blog title).  God as my creator made me and has given me abilities and in Him (Christ Jesus) I can do much and apart from Him I can do nothing.  I know this to be true, because I lack confidence in ways you would never believe!   Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate comments!    Kathy

What and How:
CHALLENGES:  GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT
                            FAB FRIDAY CHALLENGE

polka dot circle: stamp "Color Me Happy" FSJ May bloom box
flower dots stamp "Petite Petals" SU retired
sentiment stamp:  "Heartland" SU hostess 2017-2018
Embossing Folder:  CTMH
Punch:  "Petite Petals" SU retired
Punch: scallop SU retired
Die: Stiched shapes SU
Dies: scallop and circle ?
Enameled Dots:  "Flamingo" CTMH  retired
CS:  white daisy, black, pear  CTMH

SSS May Kit #1 (thanks)

Inspired by all the work in the Simon Says Stamp May Kit 2018 Gallery...I decided to make as many card as I could from the papers and stickers, stamps and die cut from this set.   For the most part it isn't the style I gravitate toward.   It is, however, a chance to grow.  Here is card one.   I used the Fab Friday Challenge # 138 for the design and I had paper left over for another card. (I plan to use it all).  This sketch was perfect for my card.   I am also linking it to Global Design Projects # 139.   I just discovered their site!   I only used items from the SSS May Kit 2018.   You can see cards from many talented designers here.   Thanks for stopping by, may you week be managable.   "I can do all things through Christ who stengthens me."  Phil. 4.13