A break from summer into my crafty space...

Well, I've almost completely given up on crafting, but not quite all the way. With Father's Day this weekend, I couldn't put it off any longer! Or fall into my new pattern of sitting at my desk waiting for mojo to descend upon me and cleaning out stuff I'm not using much anymore. As a result, my room is a MESS. I've pulled things out and have "piles" everywhere. I've managed to sell a lot of items and clear some more excess out, but I want it all tidied up! Since I'm finding less and less time to craft these days, I'm trying to keep a smaller stash of supplies and only things I'm "in love with" right now and actually use regularly. I love all of it, but some of it just doesn't see the light of day much these days. :)

I'm sharing a Father's Day card I made for my Dad yesterday afternoon (and finished off today). I was inspired by the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches.

I used my Seaside Greetings set from CTMH and Zig Clear Brush pens to create a watercolor effect on the scene. 

I used the Happy Trio die from MFT and sentiment from Avery Elle's Simply Said: Happy set. I finished it all off with Bronze Shimmer Trim from CTMH and patterned paper from My Mind's Eye. I am also playing along with 4 Crafty Chicks's Father's Day challenge and Crazy 4 Challenge's Masculine challenge. 

I've also been trying to catch up on cards I want to make for those at our church congregation for various reasons. Aack. I hope to get back into my routine of keeping up with this weekly! I've barely (if at all) sent cards out in the last few weeks! (I'm even out of envelopes and robbing them out of some of my boxed sets.)

I wanted to play along with the MFT Sketch Challenge this week (and all the other weeks I've missed. Booo!)

I used the alpha background stamp, After Midnight and Limelight cardstocks, and You're The Sweetest stamp set (all MFT). I also used the Stitched Circles dies and wavy banner from the Blueprints #25. 

The rounded rectangle stitched die is LID. I stamped the alpha background in Limelight ink on the matching card stock for the more monochromatic look (I love in background stamping). The cone is stamped in CTMH Cashmere ink, 2nd generation with the edges re-rolled on the in pad before stamping. I die-cut the ice cream scoops using DCWV patterned papers. 

I'm also playing along with Card' Concept's Butterfly Effect challenge, my card being the Clean & Layered style. 

My last two cards are both using Paper Smooches fun and my Sugar Rush stamp set. I used some new coloring mediums I have now, as getting bored with my same ole-same ole, I've decided coloring is fun and relaxing in this point of my crafty life. 

This little guy is colored with the Zig Clear Brush pens and hand trimmed before adhering over circles of CTMH patterned paper. (The two-tone circle has been out on my desk for a coon's age and I'm so glad to have a good use for it here!). The circles are cut using my MFT Stitched circle dies. I stamped the "sending" from a SSS set I have and the "warm thoughts" from PS Sentiment Sampler. I used an MFT raindrops stencil to show in the background (for the melting popsicle). 

I'm playing along with the current SPARKS photo inspiration: 

I'm also playing along with summery fun Curtain Call Challenge: 

And, lastly, the fun little Paper Smooches ice cream cone from Sugar Rush. This little cutie is colored with Prismacolor Pencils on Kraft cardstock, die-cut with the Jumbo Stitched Flagtail Banners from MFT. The sentiment is from Sentiment Sampler and banner die-cut from Blueprints #25 (MFT). 

This one is also for the SPARKS challenge photo: 

That was alot! Thank you for coming by to visit! Hope to be popping in again real soon to share others I have made but not yet made an appearance here. :) 

God Bless, 

Mandy

John 3:16 -- For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son and whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 

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Hellllooooo!!! Long time, no see!

Hello!

I'm trying to get back to the land of the crafty living! I've missed it so. Who knew that having kids (in school) could take up so much time? I mean a girls gotta craft and read her books and get a few workouts in every week. It's really cramping my style! :)   And, now summer is upon and we have not got into a routine yet! Mine just want to lay around in front of the television all day. I let it go for a couple of days - everyone needs a rest. But we just kicked them outside this morning. It's a gorgeous, breezy, NON humid Saturday morning - it should not be wasted. As soon as I pop in to share my card, I'm right back out there.

I've been holding this post and card share with plans to make more and share all at once like I prefer to do, but I can not get back up to my space! Even had a few new goodies come in yesterday and I haven't tested a thing. It's shameful. :( I need another sympathy card and thank you card and birthday card! Yikes.

This card is a sympathy card for a dear friend who lost her mother this week. If you wanted to mention her in your prayers, I'm sure it would be appreciated.

I wanted to pull out my PS Blossoming Buds stamp set and patterned papers inspired by the SPARKS sketch this week.




This time was the first that I'd paper pieced this stamped image and I really liked it. I've colored it several different ways, but I do really like this. So easy to change up the color themes with a different paper pack.

 

 

 

 

I went around the image using a Diagonal Stripe stencil (Love this thing - have used it a ton!!! MFT) and I die-cut the stitched banner before white embossing the sentiment from PS Spiritual Sampler.

 

 

Well, I'm off to do more yard work. Sigh. Between the yard (and ALL the rain) and the house with a couple of kids wrecking it, I have more work than I really care to do! Ha!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! I hope to get back in a routine and back in my regular crafty time sooner than later. I hope you will stop by again.

 

God Bless,

Mandy

 

 

 

I Cor 15:33 (New King James Version) NKJV

      "Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits."

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Playing with New Goodies

Hello!

I'm taking a few moments on a beautiful afternoon to share a couple of cards I made this week. (One today after Mr. FedEx got here. Make-uh me SO Happy!)



I used my new MFT LJD You're the Sweetest stamp set. I got it because it's one I think I will use a lot. SO many cute things every month (from many, many companies) it's so hard to choose. But, one of my biggest culling processes is to think about if I would use something repeatedly or not. This one can easily be a favorite - I can tell.

 

 

I used my Harlequin stencil with a die-cut circle as a mask and Limelight ink. The cupcake is die cut using the Sweet Treats dies and CTMH cardstock in Tulip, Blush, Cocoa, and Crème Brulee. I stamped the sentiment in Hybrid Black Licorice ink using the Totally Happy stamp set. I die cut my panel using Blueprints 13 and layered it all on Ripe Raspberry cardstock base. Phew!

 

The current MFT Sketch challenge is my layout inspiration:

 

 

I'm also playing along with Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes and 4 Crafty Chicks - Die Cuts challenge.

Next, I'm sharing this pretty floral card I made this week. I was inspired by the beautiful Anna Griffin Designer Papers! I've wanted to layer over this piece with the roses and finally got around to doing it.

 

 

I used Black PTI cardstock for the base and CTMH Pixie cardstock for the pink mats under my accent pieces. The sentiment is stamped from a Verve Plain Jane stamp and the outline is hand drawn.

 

I am playing along with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - April Showers or Spring Flowers Challenge, Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes, and Addicted to Stamps and More - CAS Challenge. 

That's all for me tonight -- short post -- KP duty calls! (As always.)

Thanks SO much for stopping by to visit! Please come back soon! I love visitors and regulars, too. ;)

God Bless,
Mandy


James 1:19  (NKJV) New King James Version
      "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;" Pin It

Floral Cards x 3

Hello!

I'm popping in to share a few cards I've made this week during stolen crafty moments. Not getting many, but having fun when I do. :)

Since I'm on a mission today with many tasks, I'll get right to it!

My first card is made with some of my MFT goodies. :) Those all are still "new" to me. I'm excited I've found "new stuff" that has me excited about crafting again. I think I was getting bored with my same ole-same ole! And we can't have that -- can we?

 

I combined the MFT Sketch Challenge (Which I have missed sharing with that link-up. Raise your hand if you're surprised.) and the colors from Pals Paper Arts.

 

I used Blueprints 13, the Gerbera Daisies Die-Namics, and Harlequin stencil (with lightweight spackling applied over it). The sequins are from CTMH (they come with adhesive already on them. What-what?!) and the sentiment is from Totally Happy.

 

I'm also playing along with Crazy 4 Challenges Daisies challenge and the Inspiration Photo Challenge over at Just Add Ink.



My next card was fun to make (for me). I enjoyed it. I used the Painted Flowers set from Altenew and my Stamp Press (that's new to me and I'm loving it!). I was inspired by the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch!

 

 

 

I stamped in "rainbow" colors and lined up my flowers as best I could with my press and grid mat. I still was off in a couple of places but it worked out well (for me). I'm the worst about wanting to eyeball stuff and then being mad it's not straight! ha! So I'm practicing and getting more comfortable with lining up using this method and really like it.

 

The sentiment is from PTI's Fancy That stamp set. I stamped it in Black Versa Fine ink then heat embossed it using Clear EP.

 

I'm also playing along with Addicted To Stamps "CAS" challenge.

 

 

My last card is another CAS Black and Colorful flowers. I was on a little kick this weekend (I still have another to share later!).

 

 

 

I used Altenew's Hennah Elements and Label Love (both new to me). And colored them in with my Spectrum Noir markers. The label is gold embossed then trimmed and adhered using foam tape.

 

I'm playing along with Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes and Addicted to Stamps - "CAS" Challenge.

 

That's all for me this morning. Still having a busy week, but some openings just came up in my schedule and I hope to totally take advantage of it with some quiet crafty time. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit - hope you liked everything!

God Bless,
Mandy


I Timothy 6:6   (NKJV) New King James Version
             "Now godliness with contentment is great gain."











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Challenges Galore and Some Spring Fun

Hello!
I'm trying to get back up to my more-than-once-a-week-posts! ; ) We came home from our little Spring Fling Mini-Vacation LATE last night rather then waiting until this morning and as a result, we all had some extra chill time today We love chill time. I was able to get some crafty time in with the windows up and blowing fresh air into The Fortress of Solitude. It make-uh me SO happy.

I'm excited to share a SWEET little baby card and gift bag I made last week (Or the one before -- and guess where it all is, gift included??? Still sitting on my Dining Room table - NOT in the hands of the new baby mama at church. Bad Mandy!)

I had alot of fun decorating a couple of Kraft gift bags I picked up at Michael's for cheap. I may have to do that again because it was a blast coordinating them. (I'll share the other bag in a later post.)

I used my PTI On The Farm stamp & die set (all time fave) and MFT Harlequin stencil & Stitched Jumbo Fishtail Flags on the bag and MFT Stitched Square Frame dies on the card for my shaker box. The sentiment included on the bag is from CTMH Cute Koalas stamp set. 

I thought this was perfect for Curtain Call's "Beginnings" Challenge this week and Addicted to CAS's "Cute" challenge. 

I'm also playing along with Crazy 4 Challenges "Let's Think Spring" and Loves Rubber Stamps "Use Your Favorite Embellishments" Challenge (jute twine! and cork shapes.)


Next up is a card I actually got to make today. (I would love to hide away into the wee hours of the night crafting at my will! I got in the groove today...but alas, I'm not a spring chick anymore and staying up too late is a headache trigger for me! So I must practice restraint these days. Booo!)  Ha!

This one is a technique I have seen more than once and have been wanting to try for a month of Sundays. I inked my card panel using Distress Inks (Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemonade, Mowed Lawn, and Broken China) then spritzed a stencil (again, MFT Harlequin) and pressed the wet stencil over the inked panel for a few moments. The water reacts with the inks to leave a subtle patterne from the stencil. It looks so cool! Should have done this a long time ago. :-| Oh Brother!

I stamped the sentiment on a strip of vellum using MFT's Blue Skies stamp set and After Midnight ink. The die cuts are from Blueprints 23 and the veneer embellies are Freckled Fawn.

I used this weeks colors from Colour Q as my inspiration.

I'm also playing along with the Cards In Envy "Spring is in the Air" challenge and Crazy 4 Challenges "Let's Think Spring". 

 

Well, that's it for me tonight! Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! Hope that you liked everything! 

God Bless, 

Mandy

Matthew 6:34    NKJV (New King James Version)

     "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

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Limited Crafty Time! Yikes!

Hello!

I'm struggling to get crafty time right now. :( Booo! But when I do, it is quite enjoyable. :) Yay! We are on a quick little Spring Break trip now in our home state and enjoying nature walks, tennis, golf, and fishing. So far we've really enjoyed it.

I have some cards to share that I was able to make on Saturday after I got some housecleaning finished. I had recently ordered the Mama Elephant Pandamonium stamp set. Hee hee. I've been eyeing it for a long time -- my "bestie" is a Panda nut, so I tend to notice them wherever I go. (They are quite cute.) I wanted to get this set so I could make some things for her and I've got two for that little collection started already.

 

This card was inspired by the MFT Sketch Challenge, my Blueprints 22 die set and Stitched Jumbo Fishtail Flags.

 

 

I snuck in that sweet panda and balloon to make it a birthday card - using the sentiment from Totally Happy stamp set. I pulled the papers from the remnants of a 6x6 American Crafts/Dear Lizzy pad (Lucky Charm, I think.) I love how the colors matched the inspiration photo from the Just Us Girls Challenge.

 

I'm also playing along with Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge - Use Your Favorite Embellishments,(Love these new cork adhesive shapes I picked up from Michael's. I've already nabbed a second pack!), and Seize the Birthday Challenge.

 

 

 

 

I want to share another card I made using the Pandamonium set.

 

 

I plan to make several more of these with the bears holding the balloons from ME's Party Kit set. It's perfect together. (I'm positive I'm not the first one to do this - but I'm tickled to have two sets that complement each other so well.)

 

 

For this one, I have a patterned paper strip on the side of the card panel, while using washi tape strips to "ground" the little cutie. The sentiment is from Altenew's Label Love stamp set. (I stamped it in PTI's Hibiscus Burst ink, as well as the darling balloon. I love that pink with the black & white of the bear.)

 

I'm entering this card in a few challenges, as well:

 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes,

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes,

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes, and

Addicted to CAS - code word: CUTE.

 

 

 

 

One more card! And, I'll hush!

 

This one is super CAS and I so love it! :) I used the sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch and the colors over at MFT's Color Challenge to get me going.

 

 

 

I used my Tim Holtz "Rays" stencil and Distress Inks in Squeezed Lemonade and Spiced Marmalade, masking off a square section with Post It Notes. I added some bits of Distress Glitter after stamping my sentiment from MFT's Blue Skies stamp set. I cut the blue panel (scrap cardstock, not sure of color or manufacturer name) using the large rectangle from MFT Blueprints 13.

 

I also played along with AAA Cards - Easter Colors challenge and the current MUSE Card Challenge.

 

 

 

Well, that's all for tonight! Wow. That was plenty, I reckon. Sad to be so lacking on my blog and missing my bloggy time, but hoping it will pick back up soon. I will get way grouchy if I can't! ;-)

 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! I hope you liked everything. It's so fun to get crafty and then have someone to share it with. :)

 

God Bless,

Mandy

 

 

Romans 8:31   (NKJV) New King James Version

        What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

 

 

 

 

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Birthday Thanks and a Happy Birthday

Hello.
I feel like it's been even longer than the week I've been missing from my little blog. I hate when I have to neglect it, but one can only do so much as we all know. (I know I'm preaching to the choir!) It's that time of year around here. Crazy busy at school and birthdays for both of The Piglets along with Easter and family gatherings. Since there is two weeks between the birthdays, we've forever been celebrating for 3 weeks or more. We have a weekend with my family (and that is usually Easter weekend or maybe in addition to Easter) and a weekend with BD's family and now that the kids are older, they get a little celebration with some close friends. Then, we celebrate just the four of us on their actual birthday (Birthday person gets to pick the restaurant). They have become pretty spoiled with this and it keeps me hopping! Add that to a sick one and PTO obligations --- I'm running around like a headless chicken. It always seems to happen at once, doesn't it?

Part of my share today is from some of the birthday goings-on. The Princess had her little friends over Friday night (first girlie sleepover. WOW) and I made her Thank you cards to take to them all today at school.

I used Mama Elephant's Party Kit stamp set, MFT's Blueprints #13 large stitched rectangle die, and CTMH's Dream Pop textured cardstock. It was easy and quick and I was tickled how it turned out. She couldn't have cared less, but I loved it. Ha!

I used the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch as my inspiration for card design.

I'm also playing along with these challenges for their inspiration: 

AAA Cards - Bare Naked CAS and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Spring Pinterest. 

                                                                                                         

Additionally,  I  want to share a birthday card I made Sunday afternoon when I actually had a few minutes alone to "play". The whole house napped and I was hiding away in my crafty space. Wasn't along for too long, Baby Boy (about to be 9!) wound up in there entertaining me, but I kept going! :) 

I used the sketch at Freshly Made for my inspiration along with my new MFT Blueprints #23, Happy Trio, and Stitched Circle dies. :) Nothing like happy mail to get the juices going! I LOVED that these dies cut through some burlap paper that I had on hand with little to no effort! I've not had that kind of luck cutting other materials with dies before now - and I really liked the touch it added to this card! :) 

I am also playing along with Seize the Birthday (Our "Toppings" option this time is to...

"Make the Sentiment the Focal Point")and Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes challenge.

Since my Blueprints and Happy dies were new, I am also playing along with the current NBUS challenge! :) Anything Goes -- what a great idea for a challenge blog. MAKE us use our new goodies we are so proud of but hoarding like a squirrel with his winter nuts. Brilliant! 

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! Please come back soon -- I have more that I've made for activities at school and other items that I hope to share this week! (Sadly, with a sick one at home, it may take me a little longer than I like.) 

God Bless, 

Mandy

Matthew 6:34     (NIV) New International Version

           Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

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