Stay Strong

Totally forgot to post this in time for the Try a Sketch on Tuesday challenge, but that's the sketch I followed for this card:

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #215 - Rainy Days

Wednesday's Creative Inspiration - Easter/Spring

We Love Stamping - Spring

Fab n' Funky - Easter/Spring

Papercraft Challenge #128 - AG/Optional Joy of Spring

Double Trouble #214 - 3,2,1 Recipe (3 patterned papers, 2 colors from color wheel, 1 image)

My papers are from My Mind's Eye, an old 6x6 pad. The stamp is also an old one from CC Designs, colored with Copics and fussy cut before attaching to the card with foam dimensional tape. Peace. 

Twirly Mask Stencil - A Colorful Life Designs

 Good morning!  I can't believe it but I slept for almost TWELVE hours last night!  I must have really needed it! We had a long, busy weekend - fun - and I never sleep well when I have stuff going on, it's hard for me to turn off my brain. This is a quiet week for me thankfully!

I know I talk about the reverse stencil technique often, and I wanted to share 2 cards today where I use the same stencil but I use it traditionally on the first card, and in reverse on the second. Here we go!

This Twirly Mask stencil is from the April release at

You can get 10% off your order by using code JennFan10:

I had a piece of watercolor paper in my background stash that just had some yellow & blue inks on it, so I grabbed that. I applied some Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide Ink through the stencil quite heavily, then spritzed with water and let dry. I stamped Hello friend several times with Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. I stamped the shell with flowers from Pink & Main's Floral Shells set with Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. I colored with Copics and attached with foam dimensional tape.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Art Nudge April #426B

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner #276 - Spring

Stamping Sensation April - AG/Optional Inspired by Nature

Triple B - Birds, Butterflies, Blooms

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Now here's where I took the already-inked-up stencil and spritzed it with water, then lay it down on another scrap piece of watercolor paper in my stash that already had the blue ink on it - I love the blue and orange color combo. I let the stencil sit while it dried, then sponged the edges with some more blue ink and mounted it on an orange cardstock base. I die cut the flower from white cardstock and attached with a fine point glue applicator, then added a tiny sticker sentiment:

I'd like to enter this one into the following challenges:

AllSorts #847 - AG/Optional In the Garden

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Paper Funday #86 - AG/Optional Die Cuts/Punches

Thanks for visiting! Peace.

Ready?

 OK I've got one more card to share today for the:

Double D Challenge - Humor

I was going to post this tomorrow but realized the challenge closes while I'll be sleeping tonight!  LOL  I printed out the peeking raccoon and sponged the edges before attaching it to a piece of DP. I used some light brown cardstock, die cuttring the paw print from it and attaching that with some foam tape. The sentiment is another snarky one from Ink Road Stamps (Roadies 33). I have sooooooo many of these stamps and I have soooooo much fun coming up with ways to use them! LOL Thanks for visiting! Peace.

Mixed Media Birthday

 One of my best friends is coming over today to celebrate his birthday with my husband and I. Tim and I grew up together and have been best friends since we were about 16. Luckily, him and my hubby also became friends and enjoy doing things like disc golf together! I made Swedish meatballs, one of my specialties, and I'm looking forward to it! This card below is the one I made him for his birthday - I'd like to enter it into the following challenges:

Double D - Humor

Seize the Birthday #324 - No Topping

Creative Artiste #125 - Anything Mixed Media Goes

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #273 - H is for Happy Birthday

I love mixed media projects - I love getting messy and dirty! LOL  For this one, I applied some clear Gesso to a piece of watercolor paper and let it dry. I then applied some texture paste through a stencil and let that dry. I then applied Lindy's Magicals all over the page and let that dry before stamping the clock in the upper right corner and the sentiment with Versafine Black and embossing with clear embossing powder. I added some die cut balloons to finish it off. Peace.

Sonny Sage

 My daughter is about to have her 5th child - it's her rainbow baby. :( Her 8-month-old son Sage passed away a little over a year ago and she was not planning this pregnancy but sometimes life makes plans for you. We are all totally excited and understandably scared. Everything looks great and it's a boy. We can't help but feel like Sage sent him to us to help us deal with our grief. Anyway, she's going to name this little bundle of joy Sonny Sage, after his big brother, and I had to make something special for his room. If you are a regular visitor here, you probably know that my daughter started seeing giraffes everywhere after Sage passed away and now I do too! Stamp companies keep coming out with the cutest giraffe images and you know I just have to buy them. LOL So when Simon Says Stamp came out with this set, I had to have it. And it was definitely meant to be because it was not supposed to arrive until Monday - I had a little mini baby shower planned for her today so I didn't expect to be able to use it. It showed up Friday instead. I instantly went to work. :)  Here's my creation:

I'd like to enter it into the:

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Not a Card

Creative Inspiration #37 - Anything Goes

A Cut Above - AG with optional twist Pastel Colors

Outlawz April - Anything But a Card

Outlawz April - Main Challenge

 I used some old designer paper from My Mind's Eye called Lost and Found Two Sunshine - I love the combination of the soft yellow & seafoam green with the dark brown. I stamped the giraffe from A Mother's Love (Simon Says Stamp) with Scorched Timber Distress Oxide Ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I colored with Copics and used a nested arch die from Unity Stamp Co. to cut it out. I used another of the dies to layer behind it. I used a heart die cut, sponging the edges with Scorched Timber Distress Ink and die cut the letters for his name.  Peace.

Polkadoodles: Time for Some Panda-Monium!

 Time for some more POLKADOODLES inspiration!

Come play along for your chance to win a $20 credit to the shop or one of TWO $10 credits!

The DT was challenged with creating an interactive card this week, and I envisioned a panda sliding down a bamboo shoot! Here's Bamboo Snack Time Noodle Panda Bear at the top of the card:

And here he is sliding down the bamboo on his cloud:

I used the sentiment from the Noodle Panda Themed Messages as a sort of pull tab for the slider piece. My papers are from the Noodle Panda set 3 collection. I used a sentiment strip die cut to create the slider tab, added a foam strip to the back of the panda, then attached a plain piece of sturdy cardstock to the back side of the panda.

I'd like to enter my interactive card into the following challenges:

Classic Design Challenge - AG/Optional Fancy Folds

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Cut it Up #353 - Kids/Babies (must use die cuts)

I Love ProMarkers - AG/Optional Cute & Whimsical

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking!  Peace.

Sympathy & Plants

 Happy Friday!  I'm off to go shopping with a friend today, then I have a busy weekend planned with company both days. I'm looking forward to it! I love cooking and entertaining.

I've got 2 cards to share today - this first one is for the following challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms #39

Colorful Options April - Yellow or Rainbow

Alphabet Challenge - Y is for Yellow Flowers

Creative Knockouts - Embossing Delight

I used the reverse stencil technique on the background (watercolor paper) with some heavy ink on the stencil and lots of water, then dragged the edges in black. I stamped the flowers from Unity Stamp Co. in Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of previously distressed watercolor paper and used an arch nesting die, also from Unity Stamp Co. to cut it out, then attached it with foam dimensional tape. I flicked a bit more black ink on the card and yes, it smeared. Sigh.

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And this next one is for the following challenges:

CAS on Friday - Botanical

Crafty Calendar April - Dies and Punches

Paper Funday #86 - AG/Optional Dies or Punches

Dragonfly Dreams April - Clean and Simple

This one was super simple - the adorable Potted Plants dies are from Jaded Blossom. I stamped the sentiments from Ink Road Stamps directly on the card with Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. Peace.