Spotlight on Birch Trees

Hello sweet friends!  Today I'm sharing two cards over at the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog.  I love the new stamp sets released by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps this month, but I still love some of the old sets as well.  My cards today feature both the new and the old.

This first card uses the new Through the Trees stamp set as well as the Scene Silhouettes: Woodland set and the Thoughtful Words set designed by Nina Brackett.

Creative Nugget:  The scene was stamped twice with the help of my Misti...once on Neenah card stock and once on mixed media paper.  Intense Color Blocks were used to watercolor the mixed media scene and ODBD Pierced Circle Dies were used to cut circles from the top layer.  The sentiment from the Thoughtful Words set was embossed on the top layer as well.  The top layer was popped over the watercolored layer using foam tape.  The animals from the Scene Silhouettes: Woodland set were embossed and cut with my SanNCut.  They were also popped onto the card with foam tape.

My second card uses the old Precious Poppies and Floral Greetings stamp sets.  Unfortunately I needed a sympathy card for a friend who just lost her father and the poppies were perfect.

Creative Nugget:  The poppies were gold embossed on Neenah card stock and watercolored with Intense Color Blocks. Fossilized Amber Distress Ink was sponged through a TH Burlap Stencil for a little shading behind the flowers.  The sentiment is from the Floral Greetings stamp set and was gold embossed on a black banner.  A bow made with metallic gold thread and black pearls were added to finish the card.

These cards will be submitted for the following challenges:

Aud's Sentiment Challenge Blog - #195 Anything Goes

Dies R Us Challenge #89 - Kids Cards

Simon Wednesday Challenge - Simon Says: Add a Sentiment

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #318 - #319 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much of stopping by!  Have a delightful day!

Hugs,

Cathy

With Sympathy

Hello sweet friends!  I love taking Online Card Classes to learn new tips and techniques but usually take the class independently because I like working at my own pace.  One of the techniques from the Clear & Sheer Class was used to make a sympathy card needed for a family at church.

Creative Nugget:  All of the stamp sets used are from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and this card is also being shared on the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog today.  The poppies from the Precious Poppies stamp set were white embossed on a piece of vellum dyed with Memento dye inks.  The vellum was attached to card stock that was embossed using the Anna Griffin Poppies folder and mounted to a card base.  The sympathy greeting from the Script Sentiments stamp set was gold embossed on a strip of white card stock and attached to the card.  A bow and gold pearls were added to finish the card.  A sentiment from Sympathy Innies was gold embossed on the inside.

(The Precious Poppies stamp set is currently out of stock but will be available soon.)

This card will be submitted for the following challenges:

Simply Create Too Challenge #111 - Use Buttons or Bows

Paper Creator Challenge #48 - All bout Flowers

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #197 - Make Your Mark (Embossing Powders & dye inks)

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #149 - Florals

Thanks so much for stopping by…have a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Cathymac

Loved and Cherished

Hello friends!  I'm sure there are many people in your life that you love and cherish and who love and cherish you. The one who loves and cherishes you most is Jesus!  We will be celebrating that fact this Sunday.  Easter is evidence of the fact that you are loved and cherished.  Jesus died to cover our sins and rose again, conquering death, and giving us hope beyond the grave!

Creative Nugget: Sketch 585 from Splitcoaststampers today was used for the design of this card.  A new Bible journaling stamp set by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, Words of Life: Collection 3, was used for the wonderful message on this card and was stamped on a piece of Penny Black paper.  The stamp sets in the Creative Worship line are perfect for card-making as well as Bible journaling!  The Precious Poppies were colored with Copic Markers.  The panels were stitched to Smokey Shadow card stock and a dyed silk ribbon ties everything together.

This card will be sent to a very dear prayer warrior from our church who is going through a very difficult time right now.  I hope it blesses and encourages her.

This card will be submitted for the following challenges:

Pile It One #104 - Stitching

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - March 2016

Moving Along With the Times - In the Garden

Crafting From the Heart #104 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for visiting with me today…remember:  You are loved and cherished!

Hugs,
Cathymac

Precious Poppies and a Sketch

Hello, everyone in Blogger Land!  When I saw the sketch on Splitcoaststampers this morning, I thought I would play along.  Ally's sketch was perfect for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' Precious Poppies clear stamp set!

Creative Nugget:  I thought it would be fun to have each layer grow in color intensity so the large Poppy image from the set was stamped on the card after stamping off once.  The only color on this layer is clear Wink of Stella.  After masking off an area for the sentiment, the medium poppy image was stamped several times full strength on the second layer.  Gray Copic Markers and Wink of Stella were used to color this layer.  Finally, the large poppy image was stamped and fully colored with Copic Markers and Wink of Stella.  The card really shimmers in real life, but does not show up well in the photo. Some black micro beads and a seam binding bow were added to finish the card!

That's all for today…hope you were inspired by your visit!

Hugs,
Cathymac

Krafty Poppies

Hello sketch lovin' friends!   As you are reading this, I am enjoying the paper craft show in Allentown, PA!  You can be sure my pocketbook will be taking a big hit, so I'll probably be sharing some new products with you in the next several posts! Love getting new stamping toys...don't you!

Speaking of new toys, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps just had a huge release and one of the new sets included many different poppy images...that's the one I grabbed for this week's new sketch at The Sweet Stop!

Creative Nugget:  The kraft tag was created by stamping Friendship Script with Toffee Crunch ink.  The poppies from the Precious Poppies stamp set were stamped in VersaMark and embossed.  Reinkers and a watercolor brush were used to color the poppies...that's right...no Copics on this one!  Black pearls were added to the center of the open poppy.  The little Mini Tag and Sentiment *LOVE these* was cut with the matching Mini Tags and Die Set and attached to the ribbon with button twine.  The card front was made by stitching My Mind's Eye papers to Smokey Gray card stock and adhered to a Kraft card base.  A Scallop Border Die was added along with some button twine and a button to finish the card.

For more inspiration, check out the rest of the Sugar Babies and join us this week over at The Sweet Stop...we love to see your creations!

Sugar Babies

Monika Davis

Janice Melton

Robin Parker

Faye Winn-Jones

Melissa Schultz

Ceal Pritchett

Marlena Peduzzi

Stephanie Serrano

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs,

Cathymac

Card Recipe

Stamps: Precious Poppies, Mini Tags, Friendship Script (SNSS)

Ink: Toffee Crunch (Memento), VersaMark (Tsukineko), Walnut Stain Distress Ink (Ranger)

Paper: Kraft, Smokey Shadow, Vintage Cream (PTI), Quilting Bee Paper Pad (My Mind's Eye)

Accessories: Sew Mini (Janome), Mini Tags Die Set, Scallop Border Die (SNSS), Reinkers, White Detail Embossing Powder (SU!), Kaiser Pearls, Button and Twine, Ribbon

Plenty of Poppies

Welcome to Day #3 of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps April Release Features!  If you like poppies. you'll want to add today's featured stamp sets to your wish list because there are plenty of poppies to use for any occasion throughout the year.

Today's features are:
Precious Poppies and Poppy Background

• Stamp set includes 3 images and 17 sentiments
• Set measures approximately 8" x 6"
• The large group of poppies measures approximately 4 1/2" x 3 1/8"
• Designed by Korin Sutherland
• Stamp set is priced at $26

• Includes 1 large image
• Measures approximately 3 3/4" x 3 3/4"
• Designed by Korin Sutherland
• Stamp set is priced at $15

Both of these wonderful sets were used on my sample:

Creative Nugget:  The large Poppy Background was stamped randomly on the Solar Crest card front.  Several blocks from the center of a Cheery Lynn Lattice die were cut away and a red and white panel was traced to fit where the blocks had been removed. The single poppy image from the Precious Poppies stamp set was colored with Copic Markers and cut out so it could be popped up on the center of the card.  The sentiment was stamped on one of the Mini Tag Dies...*love these*...and attached to the bow with Baker's Twine.

For another sample using these two sets click HERE!

While I tend to gravitate toward these colors for the poppies, you will see more beautiful combinations as you hop along to the blogs of the other talented Design Team members.  Just click on the thumbnails below to complete the hop!

Be sure to leave a comment on each of the blogs along your journey because we're giving away both of these beautiful sets to one lucky commenter!

The deadline to comment for a chance to win is midnight EST Wednesday, April 10th.  The list of winners will be announced on our website by Thursday, April 18th.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Enjoy the rest of the hop and have a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Cathymac

Precious Poppies

Happy Saturday sketch lovin' friends!  It's time for a new sketch at The Sweet Stop!  It's hard to believe it's Easter weekend already...maybe because it seems so early for Easter...or maybe because the weather has been anything but spring like, but no matter the reason, it's good to know that we can celebrate our risen Savior this Sunday!  In fact, we can celebrate Easter every day of the year because HE LIVES!

I do not have an Easter card to share with you, but I do have a sneak peek of two gorgeous new stamp sets being released this coming Friday by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

Creative Nugget:  The Poppy Background was stamped all over a Cherry Cobbler panel and attached to True Black card stock and to a Solar Crest card base.  The pretty poppies, one of three images in the Precious Poppies clear stamp set, were stamped on another Solar Crest panel in Tuxedo Black and colored with Copic Markers.  The sentiment, also from the Precious Poppies set, was stamped right over the image.  Flag accents were stitched to the card.  Black pearls and a little Baker's Twine bow were added to finish it off.  This card came together easily and I really like the bold colors...hope you do, too!

It's amazing to me how one sketch can evolve into so many different and varied styles, but you won't want to miss checking them out.  Be sure to visit the very talented Sugar Babies for more wonderful inspiration for this sketch, and be sure to join us this week over at The Sweet Stop!

Sugar Babies

Monika Davis

Janice Melton

Robin Parker

Faye Winn-Jones

Melissa Schultz

Ceal Pritchett

Marlena Peduzzi

Stephanie Serrano

Thanks so much for stopping by...have a wonderful and blessed Easter!

Hugs,

Cathymac

Card Recipe

Stamps: Precious Poppies, Poppy Background (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Cherry Cobbler (SU!)

Paper: Solar Crest (Neenah), True Black, Bitty Dot Basics DP (PTI)

Accessories: Sew Mini (Janome), Black Stamp 'n Write Marker, Color Spritzer Tool (SU!), Baker's Twine (The Twinery), Kaiser Pearls, Copic Markers R30, R43, R46, R59, Y17, YG61, YG63, YG67, BG0000