A Dollar Short

A Day Late and A Dollar Short...

My regular posting day for Artful Delight is Wednesday, therefore, I'm a day late and as the saying goes, a dollar short.

I made this at lunch break last week in the break room at work. I simply brought the contents of the May Artful Delight Card Kit, along with a paper trimmer and adhesive and a really old sentiment rub-on. What a fun and relaxing way to spend thirty minutes!

The June Kit will be revealed shortly!

Look Closer

What do you see, people, what do you see?

What are you thinking, when you look at me...

I remember the joy, I remember the pain,

And I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years all too few – gone too fast,

And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
~From a poem called Look Closer, See Me by Anonymous

I have one more card to show you as a guest designer over at Market Street Stamps from May using the Candy Stripe Background and Great Big Greetings. It went live this past Monday and I finally have time to show it here! This time it is a one layer, I love teasing the mind with one layer cards. I masked a large center panel and stamped the background in pink, then came back to add the two rows of smaller stripes in aqua from one of the fun bases included in the Great Big Greetings set. I finished with the large sentiment and tied it off with a bow made of Burlap String from May Arts.

I've really enjoyed guest designing for Market Street Stamp, there stamps are so much fun and the owners are amazing. Great customer service, great quality...which says it all in an online world.

A Leafy Clip

 

Scor-pal has some fabulous products that work amazing with any kind of May Arts Ribbon. Today I've teamed them up to create a cute little decorative clothespin clip that secures a sweet treat in a handmade, customized brown paper bag.

If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from Diane's blog!

(1) So, first I jazzed up a plain clothespin with some stain, and after drying, (2) attached a length of Scor-tape and (3) ran some May Arts' Faux Suede Ruffle Edge Ribbon in cream (NV09) on top. To keep the edges from fraying, I carefully melted the edges with a lighter.

(4) To make the leaf topper, I secured together three clipped May Art's green faux suede leaves (XL16) with Natural Burlap String (SM10), (5) attached a button and tied a bow. (6) The leaf topper was secured to the clothespin by wrapping a piece of burlap string tucked behind the button and around the clothespin front.

The treat bag was super easy to make as well. (7) I trimmed a piece of lightweight kraft paper down, used my Scor-Buddy to crease corners and (8) Scor-tape to secure the bag together. (9) I hand wrote the recipient's name with marker (not pictured) and filled the bag with a treat.

I am pleased with the final result. I think it is a classy presentation for a treat at a party, easy to put together, and the recipiant has a memento that they can keep for many applications!

Your next stop is Jennie!

I Thought I Was Smart

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps are some of the best for clean and simple cards that pack a punch with bold images. So here's what I did that led me to thinking I was the smartest, most innovative stamper in the world: I stamped the large image from Mums the Word in Versamark Ink and then began the process of heat embossing with clear powder. While it was heating and starting to emboss, I sprinkled Martha Stewart Fine Glitter in tanzonite on the wet embossing powder. It worked! The glitter mixed with the wet, hot embossing powder to form a stay-tight seal. I was so ecstatic!

That is, until I realized that not all the glitter stuck to the embossing and a lot got in my work area after being blown away with the heat gun. It was messy, because glitter got everywhere. Next time I will have a "catch bin" but I think the effect is really cool.

I finished the card with a sentiment from the same set. Wish I had more time to make some more, because a lot of the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps images are big and bold-which would be perfect for this technique, but alas, this being a more active mother kind of eats at one's time!

Bunches of Thanks

I really appreciate you,
Your helpful, giving ways,
And how your generous heart
Your unselfishness displays. I thank you for your kindness,
I will not soon forget;
You’re one of the nicest people
I have ever met. By Joanna Fuchs  

  Big, lovely pastel stickers are just one part of the Artful Delight May Card Kit so I took the opportunity to create a much needed note of thanks. I transferred a sticker onto a piece of cut white card stock from this month's kit, adhered a portion of the sticker, drew a stem and stamped the sentiment from the stamp set in the kit.

I also had the opportunity to create a custom, matching envelope for the card as well, because the kit contains various sizes of these fun envelopes. I used the remainder of the sticker from the card, affixed a button and replaced the generic twine on the back with some included in the kit.

Did you know Artful Delight offers a monthly card sketch and a scrapbook sketch challenge?  Details are here...try your hand for a chance to win a kit!

 

For A Kid or...

For a kid or an adult that pretends he's a kid...!



Welcome to The Craft's Meow May Release Blog Hop! If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from Julie Ranae's Blog. (There's a complete listing of participating blogs, plus additional details, on The Craft's Meow Blog.)

Nina once again designed the set debuting today called Chalkboard Birthday (this set is a FREE GIFT w/$50 purchase!) I stamped one of the sentiments in black ink and highlighted the word "party" with a marker. This notebook sentiment panel was adhered to the card base with a ribbon tab and staple. The base has been embellished with some shiny chevron like paper and a star banner. So simple, quick and fun, just like the stamp set.

Would you like to win all the five new sets from The Craft's Meow?!! Simply leave a unique comment on each of the design team member's blogs and a name will randomly be chosen from one of them. The deadline to comment is 9:00pm PDT, Thursday May 23rd.

I'll send you to the next stop, which is Lin!

Sunny Days

Please scroll down for my The Craft's Meow Release post!

So long sad times / Go along bad times / We are rid of you at last
Howdy gay times / Cloudy gray times
You are now a thing of the past
Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again / So let's sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again

{and this one}

The sun is shinin', come on get happy
The Lord is waitin' to take your hand
Shout Hallelujah, come on get happy
We're gonna be goin' to the promise land

{and you can find the really, seriously awesome combination of

these two amazing songs and ladies here.} 

What an exciting day because it is time for a Lil' Inker Designs Challenge!
The design team (along with the newest member, Taheerah and permanent core members
Alyssa and Isha!) has gotten together for an inspiration hop of our theme,
Sunny Days. 

You should have arrived from Jen Carter's Blog, but in case you missed the beginning,
it is all happening at the Lil' Inker Designs Blog. (Your next stop is Sarah.)

My Sunny Days card features a ton of Lil' Inker Designs goodness, including the
sun, cloud, banner, instant camera frame dies
(all featuring the signature Lil' Inker Designs stitching!)
and the Sun Sentiments stamp set! 

I affixed everything at various levels with dimensional adhesive for added dimension.

So you have the chance to play along too! Make a project inspired by the Sunny Days Challenge Graphic and Lil' Inker Designs products as your main focus. Additional challenge rules and the linky tool are on the Lil' Inker Designs Blog. There are some really amazing prizes (like gift certificates to the store!) and there is also a SALE that you can read more about on the store blog.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Ok, so the next stop on the hop is Sarah!

Only a Dad

Only a dad, with a tired face,

Coming home from the daily race,

Bringing little of gold or fame,

To show how well he has played the game,

But glad in his heart that his own rejoice

To see him come, and to hear his voice...

Only a dad, but he gives his all

To smooth the way for his children small,

Doing, with courage stern and grim,

The deeds that his father did for him.

This is the line that for him I pen,

Only a dad, but the best of men.

By Edgar Albert Guest

This set, called Let's Face It, by Nina B. for the The Craft's Meow May Previews is so much fun! There's really nothing like it out there in stampland.

Going with another clean and simple card, I embossed a card base in chevron to provide some interest in my simple composition. I used a banner from Good Times and a sentiment included in the new set. Then I added the collar and used a tie die cut for a bit of dimension. So simple and fresh, in my opinion.

There are some new designers showcasing their stuff for The Craft's Meow. Please be sure to stop by for a visit at the Blog and the Designer's Blogs. You've got a chance to win this beautiful set for free!

Side By Side

I will always be amazed at those couples who stood the test of time,
married for what seems like forever.
Their love is true, their love is strong.

We've had two amazing days of The Craft's Meow May Previews! Today is the debut of the set I designed, called Side by Side. It is mainly a sentiment based set geared towards weddings and anniversaries, but the flowers and a few large sentiments included can be used for any occasion!

I went really simple and graphic with this card, inspired by Maile Belles. The large sentiment was embossed with gold onto a strip of gold washi tape, and another smaller sentiment was stamped onto a white banner. Pieces were layered at different levels to add a bit of interest.

There are some new designers showcasing their stuff for The Craft's Meow. Please be sure to stop by for a visit at the Blog and the Designer's Blogs. You've got a chance to win this beautiful set for free!

Wildflowers

Hey, I'm a wildflower, growin' in the sunshine,
soakin' up the way of life I was raised in,
runnin' barefoot bloomin' in a summer shower,
ponytail dancin' I can't help it.

I-I'm a wildflower.
~Janedear Girls

Welcome to the second day of The Craft's Meow May Previews! Today we have a another absolutely lovely set designed by Nina B., called Wildflowers.

There are two flower images in this set (among other fabulous items) and I used the outlined version. I stamped in brown and then outlined choice areas in white gel pen. I colored the insides with marker. Finally, I accented the flowers with a few dots of Enamel Accents. The card was finished with a bow of embroidery floss and a touch of embossed dots.

There are some new designers showcasing their stuff for The Craft's Meow. Please be sure to stop by for a visit at the Blog and the Designer's Blogs. You've got a chance to win this beautiful set for free!

He Leadeth Me

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!

O words with heavenly comfort fraught!

Whate'er I do, where'er I be

Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

Today marks the first day of The Craft's Meow May Previews! Today we have a lovely set debuting called Lovely Hymns Two, designed by Nina B.

I decided to make the sentiment from Beautiful Hymns Two shine by accenting it with some My Mind's Eye Rub-ons and patterned paper. I really like the versatility of the this set, it goes with just about anything I have in my stash. The sentiment and flowers are actually adhered with foam adhesive onto a patterned paper panel, and where the two meet I tied strung some May Arts Burlap String and tied a bow.

There are some new designers showcasing their stuff for The Craft's Meow. Please be sure to stop by for a visit at the Blog and the Designer's Blogs. You've got a chance to win this beautiful set for free!

Patterns

Today we have TWO sneak peeks of CAS-ual Fridays Stamps for the May Release!

This first card features a few patterns from Zigs & Zags. Love the different sizes as well as patterns included in this set, and stamping them makes for quick cards too! (I also added a sentiment from WTF.)

The second set today features many houndstooth patterns, another perfect set for the guys in your life, or the trendy gals too! Here I embossed the medium houndstooth pattern in blue onto black paper, then adhered the strip to a white card based, added a red strip of washi tape and finished with a sentiment included in the set.

Please stop by the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog to see more projects featuring this set, and find out how you could win one of your very own!

Tech Talk

**Please scroll down for my Artful Delight post,
where I've got two cards featuring a cool technique!**

The other day my dear old Mac (and when I say old, I mean old like in old age) lost one of its Control keys. Looks like a big gaping hole. Rest in Peace, Control Key. Good thing that Mac users don't often use the Control Key...

Have you enjoyed the past couple of sneaks for the May Release at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps? Today's set is called Tech Talk and what a cool concept! There are many images and sentiments to mix and match in this set, perfectly masculine yet still universal too. I stamped a few of the stamps with white ink and then after they thoroughly dried, shaded a them with marker to add dimension. This panel was then adhered to the card base with dimensional adhesive (after affixing some washi tape to the base and stamping the sentient.)

Please stop by the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog to see more projects featuring this set, and find out how you could win one of your very own!

Perennials

This year I'm finally getting into the perennials. Take the time to care for them twice a year and they come up year after year after year. I planted some lilies, dahlias, irises and hostas. Here's wishing me luck!

Included in this month's Artful Delight May Card Kit are some sketchy rub on transfers from the Amy Tangerine line. I went clean and simple and adhered them onto a card base (the cardstock came from the kit too!) and then colored them in with a Copic Marker. Much to my delight, only certain areas took the ink, and it lent to even more sketchy, colored, look! The sentiment is from the stamp set included in this month's kit.

Here's another version. I used a cotton swap to apply white ink to the clouds and Copics for the sun. (The sentiment is from a Lawn Fawn set I already had in my stash.)

Artful Delight offers a monthly card sketch and a scrapbook sketch challenge, details are here...try your hand for a chance to win a kit!

Yellow Brick Road

"Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow-brick road
Follow the yellow-brick, follow the yellow-brick
Follow the yellow-brick road
You're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
You'll find he is a Whiz of a Wiz is ever a Wiz there was
If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was the Wizard of Oz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful things he does
You're off to see the wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz!"

Welcome back to Day Two of the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps May Release. Today we are featuring BrickWorks, a really fun background building sets with awesome sentiments. I stamped one of the patterns with white ink on an angle onto yellow card stock then came back with a second stamp and gray ink. I finished the card with a sentiment strip. Love the ode to the Yellow Brick Road for a graduation card...

Please stop by the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog to see more projects featuring this set, and find out how you could win one of your very own!

Frankly

“Now, at the end of the road, there was nothing left of that girl. Hunger and hard labor, fear and constant strain, the terrors of war and the terrors of Reconstruction had taken away all warmth and youth and softness. About the core of her being, a shell of hardness had formed and, little by little, layer by layer, the shell had thickened during the endless months.”
~Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind

{Funny how reading those few lines many, many times and many, many years ago really had no personal meaning, but now, they mean the world.}

Woo hoo! Today starts the sneaks at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps for the May Release, and this month the stamps are outstanding (well, really, they are every month). There are some really fun quotes in this set, aptly called Frankly. The other gals have showcased my favorite large stamp, but I decided to feature the graphic stamp included in the set and created some long stemmed poppies.

Please stop by the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog to see more projects featuring this set, and find out how you could win one of your very own!

Logos

I'm tickled and honored to be a guest over at Paper Crafter's Library Blog today, where I have featured this card and two others inspired by corporate logos. Gosh darn, I had a lot of fun creating...being able to mix Graphic Design with card making! Please stop on over, learn about this card and see my other two creations!

Somehow, Some Survive

Somehow, some survive all that and,
like a flower opening after a storm,
they slowly begin to remember

[what] they lost in a different way...

~Mark Rickerby

What an amazing May Card Kit offered by Artful Delight...I think I say that every month I get my hands on the kit. I was heavily inspired by the masterful works of Cristina, particularily this card of her's. I sprayed some of the mist included in the kit onto white cardstock and then die cut it, along with die cutting the yellow cardstock panel too. I adhered these among some layers and finished the card with a button and stamped sentiment, both from the kit.

Be Still, My Soul

 

Be still, my soul. The Lord is on thy side, in every change, He faithful will remain.
What a beautiful saying to go along with a field of beautiful blooms.

The Craft's Meow Design Team Members are hosting a Flower Hop for the month of May. If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from Julie Ranae's blog. Otherwise, you can start at the beginning at The Craft's Meow!

My card today features a sentiment from Beautiful Hymns and a series of stamped blooms from Beautiful Spring. I used the masking technique for the blooms, and chose to highlight only one bloom next to the sentiment with full color, the others just got an outline wash of light marker.

I do hope you enjoy hopping along today to see all the beautiful May Flowers. There is even a prize for one lucky commenter, chosen from a random comment on one of the design team member's hop post. A TCM stamp set of your choice! Please be sure to leave an original comment when you are hopping!

Thanks for stopping, and your next visit is to Lin Brandyberry's blog!

Nautical Coasters

May Art's latest challenge was to create something using a collection of amazing nautical inspired ribbons. I've got a quick tutorial over on their blog on how to create these really simple, really quick nautical coasters.

Candy Stripe Creativity

I had the delightful opportunity to be a guest designer over at Market Street Stamps, and the other day two of my cards were showcased.

I used the Candy Stripe Background in a feminine and masculine way. For the feminine side, I started with a solid piece of pink cardstock and "built" dimension by applying a mix of distress stain in white and vintage photo distress ink. Then I stamped the Candy Stripe Background and embossed it in old. I distressed the edges and adhered the panel to a kraft card base, topped it with a luscious May Arts Silk Bow and a sentiment from Market Street's Simple Salutations set.

I loved the Tuesday Trigger image over at Moxie Fab World. It helped me with the not only the colors on this card but I picked up on the woodgrain (using stripes) and the general mood as well.

Switching gears completely, this card features Candy Stripe in a masculine way. The background was stamped in a plaid fashion, using a mix of two blues and a grey. I added a large sentiment from Great Big Greetings and finished wish a simple ribbon treatment of May Arts grey faux canvas that was stapled to hold it in place.

I'll get to guest one more time over at Market Street this month, and look forward to showing you more with these sets.