From Our Nest

CCEE1318

Who can believe May is here already? It really doesn't seem like it because it has been a cool, rainy Spring. Rain, rain, go away...I want to work in my yard and it seems to be so ugly on weekends when hubby is home to help. Hmmm....is he ordering that rain? LOL

Shirley Quarry is our hostess for the month of May at CCEE Stampers and is bringing us some fun challenges. This week's challenge is Make it Shimmer. As you can see, or maybe you can't, I have shimmer on the center of my flowers. That is gold Stickles and I must say they aren't shimmering much in the photo, but they are looking pretty good in real life. I also put glossy accents for a bit more shimmer on the bird's yellow wings...not showing at all. Sorry.

I did have fun coloring my image which is a digi from Digital Two for Tuesday, taken from The Buddy Magazine. I tried to make my birds look like male and female red winged black birds. After coloring, I sponged around the image in blue.

We hope you'll join us this week and let your card shimmer and sparkle. Just add your card with the inlinkz tool. Happy stamping!

My card is entered into The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge-Free for All
Linking to the Simon Says Stamp challenge blog-Happy Mail (Just because- to make someone happy-no specific occasion)

Recipe:
Stamps-Digital Two for Tuesday, Sentiment is Our Daily Bird Designs/Nest set
Paper-PTI white cardstock, black cardstock from Hobby Lobby, unknown scrap of dp
Ink- Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMagic Aegean Blue
Accessories-Gold Stickles, Copics, Glossy Accents

Nuthatch in the Pines

Happy Monday Morning! I'm uploading this card on Saturday so it'll be here early Monday. I had a 'not so good' day. I was going to put up my Christmas tree today and it turned into something I didn't plan on. Hubby said we really should just get a new tree. What??? I was all set with the ornaments and wanted to have the tree finished before bedtime. No, we spent the day looking for a tree. I put about 10 ornaments or less on the tree and remembered I had not put on the silver garland that I always wrap around the trunk....a Christopher Radko tip. It really makes everything sparkle when the lights shine on it...so back shopping for that and some hangers. Would you believe Wal-Mart said their hangers aren't in yet? They have had trees and the Christmas dept. filled for ages.
I had no time to go anywhere else. I'll have to start anew tomorrow. Ugh!  Plus, I had to get back
to the football game on tv.

We did a live tree for many years and finally gave up on it, but it really smelled yummy. I know it is a bit early to have the tree up but I always decorate early. It's just too much work to have it up for 2-3 wks. Anyway, I have so much to do between now and Christmas. Plus, we go out of town for Thanksgiving and I won't open the shutters until after that holiday.

Whew! Now to my card. This card is made for the Friends of Speedy TV challenge #7( a birthday card) at MFP Speedy TV. I'm using these beautiful soon-to-be released stamp sets, Peaceful Nuthatch and  What a Fox (sentiment) from Mark's Finest Papers, A Heinrich Company. I colored and masked so I could sponge some blue around it and pop it out. I cut my Cheery Lynn fanciful flourish from gold mirror paper and framed with a Spellbinders Frameabilities die cut. Hand cut a pennant back for my sentiment. The rest of my recipe is below.

Challenge:
The Hybrid Chick-Card Caravan Challenge #6-Birthday theme

Recipe:
Stamps: Mark's Finest Papers, A Heinrich Company-Peaceful Nuthatch and What a Fox (soon-to-be-released)
Paper: PTI white cardstock, gold mirror paper, dp is unknown, rust colored paper is Recollections Capturing Special Memories
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cheery Lynn Designs fanciful flourish, Spellbinders Frameabilities, Recollection floral embellishment, Copics

Summertime

The challenge this week at Tuesday Throwdown #60 is Summertime. Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More provided us with the images this week. I think the birdie's nest image I am using is just adorable. Of course, I am such a bird lover so this was perfect for me.

I used a couple Martha Stewart punches called woodland and classic butterfly. Embossing folders from Tim Holtz were used to get a lot of texture. They are the bricked and woodgrain folders.

Challenges I'm entering:
Come and Get It-Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations #65-Summertime

Recipe:
Digital image from Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More- Birdie's Nest
Paper: PTI white cardstock, hand drawn stripe from The Paper Studio, Red with white polka dots from The Paper Studio
Accessories: copics, Tim Holtz Alterations Bricked and Woodgrain set, Stampin'Up! sherbet buttons, Martha Stewart classic butterfly punch, Martha Stewart woodland punch, Spellbinders blossom die, twine, brads

Napkin Fold Card

I've gotten behind on my cards and commenting. I attended a funeral Friday, out of town, for my husband's brother-in-law. The only good part about it was we got to see some relatives we don't see very often. My husband's family is scattered all over the U.S. Fortunately, this person was from Alabama so we didn't have to travel too far. The deceased was an awesome person and was an engineer and a pilot in the Air Force, from which he he retired. He loved flying so much and built an airplane hangar after retiring so he could store his plane and rebuild wrecked planes. He was an inventor and contributed greatly to society.  He will be missed!

The Queen for the Day on Splitcoasterstampers is Carol aka Gingerbeary8. I cased this beautiful, napkin fold card of Carol's. You can find her tutorial for this card here on SCS.

I am using some very pretty dp and ruined part of it and had to go to coral thick, dbl sided paper to finish the card. I chose coral because some of the flowers are that color on the inside, shown here:

I will add a white sheet of paper for writing on top of part of the dp. I used a Martha Stewart punch around the page called woodland branch and a Spellbinders Shapeabilities floral doily motif die cut. The swirls are puffy stickers from Me and My BIG Ideas.

I would like to enter these challenges:
Totally Papercrafts Challenge #77-Bling it Up
Craft Us Crazy-Anything Goes
Crafts and Me Challenges #45-ribbon
Frosted Designs-circles (mine is the die cut)

Recipe:
Stamps: Jo-Ann Stores $1 bin
Paper: PTI cardstock, BoBunny coral dot, Crate Paper Portrait Collection-Bouquet
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa and Dandelion
Accessories: Spellbinders Shapeabilities Floral Doily Motif die, Martha Stewart punch around the page-woodland branch, Copics, Me & My BIG Ideas puffy stickers, crystal Stickles

Lollipops Frosty Pink

Just a quick upload of a card I did almost 2 weeks ago and never got it on my blog. I made this card for QFTD challenge #48 on Splitcoaststampers. It was for 'Queen' Becky aka bigfootbecky. I cased this card of Becky's. I'm not adding it into any other challenges as it was made a bit ago.
Hope everyone is having a happy day of crafting! I will be uploading my Stampin' B's Design Team card later tonight. Stay tuned.

Recipe: 
Stamp: Stampology-unknown name (sentiment, bird, and flourish are all one stamp
Paper: PTI white cardstock, unknown other
Ink: Memento rhubarb stalk
Accessories: Trimmer with wavy blade, Sticky Stitches by Colorbok, Lollipops Frosty Pink by Prima given to me by my friend, Debzi333/SCS

A Bird in the Flower Garden

Yes, I'm using another bird! I have really been into bird cards lately. I just adore them.

I was so unhappy with a card I made a couple days ago I decided to do another for one of the challenges I had entered. Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge #105 calls for using three patterned papers. Mine are all matching papers from a Mirabelle paper pack/The Paper Studio. I have used paper from this pad on my last two cards and I can't wait to use more of it. I think it's gorgeous.

I used a Flourishes stamp, Home Tweet Home. I stamped in Always Artichoke and embossed with Zing clear embossing opaque powder. I stamped, colored, cut out, and popped up the little bird.

I am using a sketch from Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #34.

I added some crinkled ribbon, die cut leaves, and a rose button. I popped my sentiment and it is all done.

I'm entering The Pixie Cottage challenge #57-sketch and/or embossing. I embossed my bird house and sentiment.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flourishes-Home Tweet Home
Paper: Stampin'Up! Always Artichoke, PTI cream cardstock, Mirabelle paper pack by The Paper Studio
Ink: Stampin'Up! Always Artichoke, Memento Desert Sand
Accessories: crinkled ribbon, rose button by La Mode Buttons, Spellbinders oval nestabilitie, QuicKutz leaves, Martha Stewart calling card label (cut in half) for sentiment

  

ODBD-SNTODBD23, Flourishes Winter White, A Spoonfull of Sugar, Delightful Challenges

Used the same stamp set for the sentiment as the image above. Placed inside the card.

This may be the last Christmas card I make this season..or maybe not as I love making them so much. I am using a stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs. I love birds and thought this was a beauty.

 I will be sending this to my choir director that leads our community praise and worship choir. It consists of appx. 150-200 voices and sings heavenly music. I don't think he will even mind having the pretty, more feminine bow and brad as he knows what the card signifies.

I decided to do an 'out of the box' technique with this pretty bird as his tail feathers and the branch are so perfect for it. I did the watercoloring of my image with Tombow markers and a watercolor brush, added some glitter to the berries and a pretty ribbon and brad. The die cuts are Shapeabilities listed below in the recipe and I used a Cuttlebug Swiss dots embossing folder.

I am entering this card into four challenges:
Our Daily Bread Designs: SNTODBD23-Christmas Cards
Flourishes: The Winter White Challenge-Wash in white was a pop of color  This is my 2nd entry. With the first card, I used a beautiful Flourishes stamp.
A Spoonfull of Sugar: challenge #133-Christmas card
Delightful Challenges: embossing, wet or day

Recipe:
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs-You Will Find Refuge for image and sentiment
Paper: PTI white cardstock, Stampin'Up! Cherry Cobbler,Tim Coffey Designer Paper Pad, Canson watercolor paper
Ink: StazOn Saddlebrown
Accessories: Spellbinders Shapeabilities Fleur Di Lis and Fancy Tags, Spellbinders Labels Four, Tombow Markers and watercolor brush, Stampin'Up! Dazzling Diamonds, glue stick, Ribbon Boutique sheer blue ribbon, Say It With Studs by Prima Marketing

Speedy's Friends challenge #31, EtsyInpsired Challenge #116

I am having so much fun making Christmas cards. My hubby is outside doing some Christmas decorating. I got  two trees up and have managed to do a few other arrangements. I need to do my mantle really soon so I can enjoy it for a few more weeks. Unfortunately, the dread of taking it all down and cleaning is with me as I decorate. I really need to get over that.

I have made my card for two challenges:
Speedy the Cat's Friends challenge #31 at Mark's Finest Papers -have a bow on your card (mine is fake (punched)) but a bow just the same)

EtsyInspired Challenge #116 We are to be inspired from paintings and creations  from Heartsong
I was inspired by the awesome blue colors and the bird from Evening Song shown below:

I decided to try a Folded Paper Frame which I really love to frame the dove. I thought the musical paper would be perfect for the dove as birds, even doves sing/coo.
I stamped the dove 3 times, cut out and popped each with dimensionals after stamping each one with VersaMark Dazzle and clear embossing glitter, heating.
The snowflake was punched 3 times, glittered,  and embossed.
I added glitter and chunky Twinklet Diamond Dust to the outer white part of the frame.
The cardstock under my patterned paper and the bow are blue, although it may look black. No matter what I did, the dark, All Night Navy showed up very dark in the photo.

Recipe:
Stamps: Hobby Lobby Christmas 2009 set called Peace & Joy (Made for Hobby Lobby)
Paper: Bo Bunny Snowy Serenade Serenity (glitter series), Stampin'Up! All Night Navy, PTI white cardstock, Stampin'Up! Not Quite Navy for dove, Stampin'Up! Baja Breeze
Ink: Stampin'Up! All Night Navy
Accessories: VersaMark Dazzle-Frost, Martha Stewart Polar Stamp and Punch for snowflake, Twinklets Diamond Dust, Martha Stewart ribbon bow punch, blue gemstone, Stampin'Up! Dazzling Diamonds

Holiday Birds - Challenges

I just love these little birds and it is the perfect card for today's Free for All F4A28 challenge on Splitcoaststampers. We are to make a card with an aviary theme and throw in one color we don't care for or normally use. I guess that would be yellow for me. I used only a little as a little dab will do me. LOL

I also am entering this card into the CES challenge found here. It is an "Anything Goes" challenge.

Also, my card is for a challenge at A Crafty Little Place found here. It is also an "Anything Goes" challenge.

Stamps: Hero Arts-Holiday Birds, Hot off the Press-Christmas Words (for sentiment)
Bazzill white cardstock
Graphic 45 dp-Christmas Past, double sided Collections-Letters to Santa
Tombow markers and brush for watercoloring
Canson 124# watercolor paper
Inchies and dimensionals