Cherry Blossom Wishes Meets Color My Heart #640

Over on my FB page, I did a video about using ink pads to watercolor. I created several cards, but I chose my color scheme based on Color My Heart's #640th challenge featuring brown and one other color. I chose pink.

This card features irresistible paper. I squeezed ink into the lid of my ink pads then used a fan brush to paint over the paper. I also used to paint the embossed image.

On these two, I created my own irresistible paper by embossing the musical notes pattern on the card base then water coloring pink ink over the top. Then, using a hot iron and a piece of printer paper, I removed the embossing. 

I then cut a large arch from the card front base. I cut a second arch from the first one so I could make two cards. To comply with the color challenge, I sponged brown around the edges. If you look closely, you can see how there's no color under the pink but there's some brown over the musical scores.

Each card features a set called Cherry Blossom Wishes. It was one of the last sets released by Close to my Heart before they closed.

Until next time,

Becca

Sweet Magnolia

 In September, I took on the role of Titus II for the Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC) group here in Wiesbaden, Germany. For those of you unfamiliar with either, Titus II refers to the Bible verse that says older women are to teach younger women, and PWOC is a Bible study for military affiliated women. It's a precious privilege to mentor woman who are about the same as my daughter and daughter-in-law for the remaining time we have on active duty.

All that to say, one of my PWOC "girls" had a baby girl a little while ago. The baby's middle name is "Magnolia." The closest flower I have to that in my crafty stash is Peony Dream by Altenew. I combined it with other fun products in my crafty stash for this sweet baby card.

I chose my colors based on the current Color My Heart challenge and the design from the current Freshly Made Sketches challenge. My colors are CTMH Mulberry and Glacier. The lace die and alphabet set are also from CTMH. I'm not exactly sure where the "Sweet" die cut is from. 

I hope "my" sweet girl likes it!

Until next time,

Becca

Lolli & Pop

Well, friends, it's been about a year since CTMH announced they would be closing. It took time for me to get my footing under me after that, but the fog is beginning to clear. I did transfer over to Stampin' Up! along with many other CTMH Makers, but I have no intention of selling. At least not while we're still in Germany. 

I didn't expect to be back on my blog. However, there are some challenges that I'd still like to participate in, and I need a blog for that. Today's card is a prime example. Color My Heart's current challenge is pink and red with optional neutrals. When a dear friend announced that her first grandbaby (a darling little girl) had arrived and that she and her husband would be Lolli and Pop, this card idea came to me in a flash.

I used my Cricut to create most of this card. Only the background die cuts are Stampin' Up! (Everyday Arches and Brilliant Backgrounds). Don't even ask how long it took to make the Print Then Cut feature on my Cricut work for that banner. My printer was giving me fits!!

To create the lollipops, I used the shapes feature. I inserted three circles and a baby rattle that had a similar band across the center. Using the rattle as my guide, I elongated one circle into an oval then used it to slice one circle into the band shape. I duplicated it, then grouped the two lollipops together to size them. I also inserted the equal sign and elongated it until they became my sticks. I also added an ampersand and sized it to fit between my printed sentiment. 

I sponged edges and then added Glossy Accents over both the lollipops and the ampersand, then dotted some pearls around as the final accent. Now for the hard part. I have to let the Glossy Accents dry before I open the card back up to stamp and write my inside sentiment and greeting. Fortunately, it's Sunday and the hubs is preaching. If I can just exercise enough patience to get to church, this will be dry by the time I get home.

Gotta say...it's good to be back!

Until next time,

Becca

Clearing the Final Clearance at CTMH

 Hi again. I wasn't planning to post anything here again, but I'm on a mission. CTMH's final clearance sale is going on now. If I have anything in my stash that's still available, I'm working with it until it sells out. Right now that means "Flower Friends" stamp and thin cuts set plus the "Square Patterns" thin cuts. Here are the cards I've made so far...

I'm entering the second one in the Color My Heart Color Dare. I chose these colors based on their current challenge of Royal, Wisteria, and Lagoon. Black is neutral, so I made liberal use of it.

Here are a couple more cards using "Flower Friends" with some patterned paper. I used the same basic background for both because I'm also using up scraps.

I hope I've inspired you to check out the final clearance sale. There are awesome deals there!

Until next time,

Becca

Just Chicken In

 Dear Blogging Friends,

If you haven't already heard the new, Close To My Heart (aka, CTMH) is closing. They've been in business for forty years, and they've been a part of mine in some way or another for about thirty-five. I can't even begin to count the ways my life is better because of the creativity and friendships this company has inspired over those years.

I'm not closing this blog because I pay nothing for it, but I will post current crafting projects in my Facebook Group "Crafty Friends" only. I hope you'll join me there, but be sure to agree to the terms (basically encouragement only, no selling, and I retain the right to delete you or offensive posts.) 

Before I go, here's an adorable Stamp of the Month called Just Chicken In (see sidebar for full image).

The chicken beaks and feet were colored with pencils. The bodies and background were sponged with Mustard Seed Distress Oxide and Journey inks respectively. Such a soft look with minimal effort.

Since the inception of this blog, I've always closed with "Until next time." I'm sincerely torn between maintaining the tradition or signing off with something heartfelt and different. I guess I'll let you decide...

Becca

Mixing Eras

Have any of you seen the movie "Return to Me" starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver? It's one of our favorites. Not only is the main story great, the side characters--particularly the quartet of old men--are hilarious. The men play poker and argue about the greatest singers and baseball players of all time. They argue about not only the people but mixing eras.

For today's card, I have mixed eras. Well...maybe not eras exactly, but certainly products that span decades. There are many hassles about having to move every few years, but one upside is that I'm forced to look at everything I own. That's usually when cards like these happen. So without further ado...

Everything here is a CTMH product. The oldest is the gold metalic paper. I think that goes back at least twenty years. I'm down to scraps, but I didn't need much. Everything stamped and gold embossed comes from the Cape Code-Scrapbooking set which came out in July 2023. The thin cuts are a hodgepodge, including some from a Christmas set introduced last year. So not only am I mixing eras here but seasons. 

The point is this: if you haven't gone through all your craft supplies in a while, do so. You never know what they will inspire you to create.

Until next time,
Becca

2023 Favorites

 I haven't blogged in forever, but I wanted to end the year by celebrating my top ten favorite projects of the year. Many of them I haven't posted here as I share more freely in my Crafty Friends Facebook Group. 

There you have it, my top ten projects of the year. 

Now that we've moved to Germany and the craft cabinet is set up and loaded, I hope to be posting more in 2024. Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and crafty new year.

Until next time,
Becca