Birthday Balloons

While I do love a pretty floral stamp, I also love balloon stamps.  I really have a hard time restraining myself whenever I see balloon stamps.  I have used the Balloon Adventures stamp set from Stampin Up for this card, and also the Direct Messages stamp set by Papertrey Ink:

This is for the CAS(E) This Sketch #258 challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.
-Ally

A Little Bit of Creativity

Hello.

I know – I appear here at the most random times, right?

We have had the month of June off from lessons, with other events crowding out the time for now.  I spent the first few days of the spare time organizing and cleaning my little heart out.  PincessA is now finished with elementary lessons, so I’ve also spent a lot of time researching junior high lesson options.

Today, though, nothing would suffice but to (finally) turn on my favorite playlist of beautiful classical music and create a card.  It was nice to do something creative.

I used the Paper Players challenge #301 for a little inspiration boost.

 

These little cakes from Reverse Confetti are so adorable and fun to work with, and I also love the Taylored Expressions Skinny Mini dies.  I made a set of 4 cards in coordinating colors, while I was at it.

I hope you are all doing well.
-Ally

Stamps:  Candles ‘n Confetti (Reverse Confetti); Garden Starter (Newton’s Nook)

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores, Berry Sorbet, Limeade Ice, Amethyst Allure (Papertrey Ink); Smoky Slate (Stampin’ Up); Copic Markers; Wink of Stella Glitter Pen

Paper:  Hibiscus Burst, Smokey Shadow (Papertrey Ink); Striped Digital Paper (Baer Designs on Etsy); Misc Glittered Cardstock

Dies:  Skinny Mini Party Borders (Taylored Expressions); Candles ‘n Confetti (Reverse Confetti); Wonky Stitches (Avery Elle)

Tools:  Tulip Border Embossing Folder (Stampin’ Up)

Bright and Bold

I love bright and bold color combos, which may surprise you a little.  I don’t often use them, because I’m never sure of my ability to get them on a card in appropriate balance.  But I do love them.

Here is a little something I put together with a couple of bright and bold colors:

The red panel is the result of my attempt at sponging a background.  The word die cut is the result of my attempt at blending Copic markers to achieve the ombre effect, which I think is harder than it sounds with Copic markers!

This is one of my favorite cards.

Thanks for stopping by today. 😉
-Ally

Supplies Used:
Paper/Cardstock:  White (Xpedx); Black & White Striped DP (KHDigi on Etsy)
Inks:  Copic Markers; Red Ink (Stampin Up, I think?? but I don’t remember which one)
Embellishments:  Silver Sequins
Tools:  Many Thanks Die (MFT);  Polka-dot Impression Plate (PTI)

Stamping Instead of Coloring

Just stopping in this week with a couple of creations I made a few weeks ago.

In my crafting, I tend to rely on die cuts and colored images when making my cards.  But I purchased a MISTI a month or so ago, which has encouraged me to do more stamping, rather than only using sentiments with die cuts and colored images.  I have to say, I absolutely LOVE the MISTI.  It is so easy to stamp in the exact spot where I want it.  I am much more likely to pull out layering stamps now, rather than passing them by because they are too difficult for me to align by eye or with the Stamp-a-ma-jig.

Anyway.  I recently pulled out my PTI Embellished Elegance stamp set to play around with the images in it.  I only used the MISTI for the vines, which didn’t turn out very much aligned, funny enough!  Then I stamped some of the smaller images, trying to cover up the misalignment.  Here is how it all turned out:

It was so nice to pull out some of my Lemon Tart cardstock – it’s the only yellow that I really love!  Fun, to experiment a little bit.

Thanks for stopping by today. 😉
-Ally

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Embellished Elegance, Graceful Greetings (PTI)
Paper/Cardstock:  White (Xpedx); Berry Sorbet, Lemon Tart, Smokey Shadow (PTI)
Inks:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); Berry Sorbet, Harvest Gold, Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse (PTI)
Embellishments:  Rhinestones (Recollections)
Tools:  Tulip Border Embossing Folder (SU)

Simple Vertical Thanks

A creation for the CAS(E) This Sketch #129 challenge.  A very interesting sketch!  I’m not sure this is really clean and simple enough for the challenge.  I tried to keep it simple, and I know it has a few layers, but I really love this card and had such a fun time creating it. I love these colors.

Thanks for stopping by today. 😉
-Ally

Challenge Photos:
Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Simple Sprig (Waltzingmouse)
Paper/Cardstock:  White (Xpedx); Aqua Mist, Smokey Shadow (PTI); Regal Rose (SU)
Inks:  Regal Rose (SU)
Embellishments:  Rhinestones (Recollections)
Tools:  Songbirds Die (PTI); Thanks Card Die (Simon Says Stamp); Simple Sprig Dies (Waltzingmouse); Guide Lines Grid Impression Plate (PTI)

Copic Marker Class Day 8 – Card 3

Summer was non-stop crazy, and I always look forward to the slow-down that comes with Autumn.  It has been nice to find a little time this past week to be creative.  It is a welcome distraction from some of the things that have been occupying my mind and life lately.

I’m still busy enough that I haven’t been able to accomplish all that I’d like to with this Copic marker class, but I hope to catch up in my practice time soon.

For the time being, I have one more card to share that displays one of my practice images.

This card reminds me of Pepto Bismol, with all this pink and red.  But after spending way too much time considering other layouts and color combinations, I finally ran out of time and just quickly finished it off with my ‘easy way out’ combo – white, embossing folder, and gems.

I think this will be a good card for my Princess M on her birthday next month.

Thanks for stopping by today. 😉
-Ally

Supplies Used:
* Sentiment (Friendly Flowers – PTI)
* Embossing folder (Stampin’ Up)
* Stitched rectangle die (Lil Inker Designs)
* Banner die (PTI)
* Twine (The Twinery)

Fusion Card Challenge #9

Welcome to today’s Fusion Card Challenge!  I am always delighted by what you all create for these challenges.  Always lots of inspiration in the Fusion Gallery!

Here is the challenge we have for you today:

When I first saw this photo, I liked the idea of the pop of red over the aqua background, and the sentiment.  So here is what my inspiration led me to create:

I used the thick watercolor paper for this card – the base, the mat layer, and the focal panel – so that I could use my watercolor pencils for the aqua background and still have it all coordinate.  I think this Tulips Border embossing folder makes for a really pretty, clean-and-simple card, so I broke it out again!

I used my new Chloe Stem die to cut the flower from red glittered cardstock.  The lovely, encouraging sentiment comes from Verve’s Brighter Days stamp set.

As you can see, my crafting schedule still dictates simplicity.

Please stop by to see what the rest of the Fusion Design Team have created and to see the details for this challenge.  I hope you’ll participate with us!

Deanna Jean / Kelly Griglione / Amy Tsuruta / Kay Miller / Lyndal Higgins

Thanks for stopping by today. 😉
-Ally

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Brighter Days (Verve Stamps)
Paper/Cardstock: Watercolor Paper (Strathmore); Red Glittered Cardstock (Misc Stash)
Inks:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); Watercolor Pencils
Tools:  Chloe Stem Die (Memory Box); Tulips Border Embossing Folder (SU!)

10-Minute Craft Dash 17

Whew!!

I’m not sure this challenge is for me.  Or it could just be that I chose to do my project during the lunch hour.  With 3 children around.  Who are hungry and eating lunch.  And who keep needing refills on their drinks.  Maybe I just wasn’t prepared enough.  Maybe I should have eaten all my lunch first.

Whatever the reasons (all of the above, no doubt!), this 10-Minute Craft Dash challenge really made my adrenaline go crazy!

But I did finish it.
In a frantic pace.
With only seconds to spare.
But no sanity intact.
Just sayin’.

And here is what I can create in less than 10 minutes, including 2 breaks to refill lunch glasses with lemonade:

Thank goodness this Tulip Border folder makes for a quick decorative background frame!  That quickity-quick Vagabond machine really came in handy for this card, too.

I used one of my Lil’ Inker Stitched Mats Rectangle dies for the focal panel, sponging the edges with some Aqua Mist ink.  Used images from the Tremendous stamp set and a sentiment from the Beautiful Butterflies stamp set.  I stamped the dark flowers using Berry Sorbet ink and then ‘stamped-off’ to create the lighter-colored flowers.

Thanks for stopping by today. 😉
-Ally

Challenge Photos:
Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Beautiful Butterflies (PTI); Tremendous (There She Goes)
Paper/Cardstock:  White Cardstock (Xpedx)
Inks:  Aqua Mist, Berry Sorbet, Classic Kraft, Dark Chocolate (PTI)
Embellishments:  Rhinestones (Recollections, Kaisercraft); Rustic Cream Button Twine
Tools:  Stitched Mats: Rectangle Die (Lil’ Inker); Tulip Border Embossing Folder (SU!)

Dynamic Duos #40

The colors for this week’s Dynamic Duos challenge are Tempting Turquoise and Basic Black, with an optional ‘clouds’ theme.

At first, I wasn’t sure I could work clouds into a card.  And then when I began working on the idea I devised, I wasn’t sure Tempting Turquoise would work on a sympathy card!  But this is what I created with today’s challenge points:

I used an MFT Jumbo Cloud Stax die and two Memory Box Puffy Clouds dies as masks in sponging the Tempting Turquoise background.  It was my first attempt at this kind of sky/cloud-scene sponging, and I don’t think it turned out too badly.  I don’t really think of Tempting Turquoise as a sympathy card kind of color, but I thought it worked okay here, in the end.

Make sure you stop in to see what the rest of the Design Team have created and to check out the details for this challenge.  I hope you will participate with us!

Allyson Andersen (me) | Christina Barnes | Vicki Burdick | Karen Day | Deanna Dean
Jenny Engelke | Anne Marie Hile | Erna Logtenberg | Bobbie Trost | Amy White

 

Thanks for stopping by today. 😉
-Ally

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Lovely As A Tree (SU!); Serene Silhouettes, Sheltering Cherry Blossom (Sweet & Sassy Stamps)
Paper/Cardstock:  White Cardstock (Xpedx); True Black Cardstock (PTI)
Inks:  Tempting Turquoise (SU!); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Embellishments:  Pearls (Recollections)
Tools:  Guide Lines Grid Impression Plate (PTI)

Play Date Cafe Circles and Butterflies

The answer is, yes.  I am still avoiding my Christmas projects.

Sigh.

But here is a card for the Play Date Cafe #157 challenge!

I thought I would do something flowery and beautiful in response to the absolutely gorgeous inspiration photo story.  But I’ve been doing flowers so much lately, I went with circles and butterflies instead.

From left to right, the colors are Elegant Eggplant, Scarlet Jewel, Rich Razzleberry.  I meant to tie a little bit of twine across the card below the sentiment.  But I glued down the Kraft panel before my brain even had a chance to respond.  Although, I did remember to run the panel through my Big Shot with the Linen Impression Plate first.  Because I can be totally random, like that.

I kept getting the circle proportions wrong, so I have three leftover sets of circles like these, in three different sizes.  I’m sure my oversized pile of misfit scraps will welcome them with open arms!

Is it weird that from that fabulously beautiful inspiration photo, my inspiration was the little color reference dots at the bottom?  Hmmm.

Thanks for stopping by today. 😉
-Ally

Challenge Photos:
Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Think Big Favorites #14 (Papertrey Ink)
Paper/Cardstock:  White Cardstock (Xpedx); Kraft, Scarlet Jewel Cardstocks (PTI); Elegant Eggplant, Rich Razzleberry Cardstocks (SU!)
Inks:  Dark Chocolate (PTI); Tea Dye Distress Ink (Ranger)
Embellishments:  Rhinestones (Recollections)
Tools:  Standard Circles Dies (Spellbinders); Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die (SU!); Linen/Canvas Impression Plate (PTI)