Are you ready for Another Challenge?

We are doing another Challenge over at the Fred She Said Challenge Blog.  In March we leave Old Man Winter behind so let's create a VERY SPRING-Y project, loaded with all those lovely pastel colors!  Just remember though, that you MUST use a Fred She Said image Somewhere on the card for it it qualify in the Challenge!  If you don't have one, not to worry!  There are PLENTY of Freebies here!   Come and Play with us for the chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate at the Fred She Said Store!
Now, on to my cards today!
First up is one I made using the Bouquet of Tulips (New Release)

The image is printe out on regular cardstock and colored with Prismacolor Colored Pencils and Dry Blended, then cut out with the Nestabilities Mega Curved Rectangle die and brushed with  Lime Green Color Box Ink and layered over 2 more Nestie shapes cut from Scrapbook paper.  The card backing is made from Textured White Core Cardstock run throught the D'Vine Swirls Cuddlebug Embossing folder twice, then sanded with an emery board to bring out the White Core.  A bit of ribbon put on before adhering to the card blank.  The top 2 Nestie shapes are layered with foam tape to add more dimension to the card.  Some gold peel-offs and a bow finishe off this card.

My second card is made using the Purple Corner Rose (another New Release)

This card is done on a base of some very pale purple Scrapbook paper.  I cut the Purple Corner Rose out with the Nestabilities Labels 1 die, then edged the white areas with Heliortope Color Box Inks.  The rest of the rose is then cut out and 3-D'd over the top of the main image.  The Top Rose has been spritzed with Glimmer Mist before being layered on the card.  The Center Panel on the card is made from a piece of textured white cardstock cut on both sides with the Martha Stewart Doily Edge Punch, then brushed with first Lavender Color Box Inks, then Grape Jelly Memento Ink.  I then took 6 strands of DMC Light Effects Embroidery Floss (#E211-Lilac) and did a Running Stitch in the smaller holes of the punched edges.  A piece of pale purple organdy ribbon was placed along the center before putting it on the card.  A bow from the same ribbon and some gems finish the center panel.  I layered this onto the card with foam tape, then layered the Corner Rose over that with more foam tape.  A Silver Peel-off Sentiment finishes off the card sweetly.

Same Image, Different Card

I loved making the card from the other day so much, I printed off another on plain cardstock and used Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils to color it in.  This time making 1 rose Red and 1 White in each group.  I colored the candle basically the same as the previous one and used the Perfect Pearls on the Candle, Flame and Frame again as well.  This time though, I cut around the image a bit and mounted it on Textured Pearl Cardstock.  Now, I just wish I knew someone who was getting married! :-)

The image again is the Rose Spray & Candle Digi Set by Fred She Said.

Have you checked out the Fred She Said Challenge Blog?  You still have time to enter this month's Challenge if you haven't, for a chance to win $20 from the Fred She Said Store and be sure to check out the Blog Hop going on right now too for ANOTHER chance to win $20!  WOW!

FSS Blog Hop...Our Third!

Welcome to our THIRD blog hop from Fred She Said!!! If you just happened to drop by my blog and you are not aware of this wonderful event taking place, please go back to the Fred She Said and blog start your hop!
Please leave comments on everyone's Blog if you can, as we love to hear what you all think of what we are doing.
Along the way, you will see a special CODE WORD. Collect them all up! Once you reach the end of the blog hop (which will be the Fred She Said Challenge blog), follow the instructions to make your entry and your name will go in for a draw for a $20 Gift Certificate for the Fred She Said Store!  How cool is that?!

Here is my Fred She Said creation using a New Release called Wedding Candle Roses:

Using a sheet of 90 # Watercolor paper, I sprinkled Walnut Ink Crystals on the paper, then spritzed it with water, then a very weak Walnut Ink.  Then I placed a Kitchen Paper Towel over the sheet and using my Iron, I then ironed the paper until it was dry.  That is part of where some of the "texture" comes from.  Any remaining crystals on the paper, I brushed off.  Then I printed my image on the paper and cut it to the size I wanted for my card (this one is cut to 5-1/4 x 8-1/4" then layered on a wrinkled Gold Cardstock of 5-1/2 x 8-1/2")  Then I colored the image with Prismacolor Colored Pencils, using many layers of pencil to achieve the "opaque" look.  The candle was colored with White, then highlighted with Blush Pink, Deco Yellow, Aquamarine, Lilac and Chartreuse to give it an Iridescent apperance.  After all the coloring was done, I Dry Blended the colors, then used Perfect Pearls and a bit of water to enhance the iridesent look of the candle, the shine of the candle flame and the shine of the frame.  Before placing the image on the backing paper, I rounded the corners then distressed the edges.  The whole thing was then mounted on the card with foam tape.  A few gems added to the inside corners of the card and it is finished.

My special code word is: YOU

Here is a list of the blog hoppers in case you lose your way:

FRED SHE SAID blog 

SHELLY

MICHELLE 

CAROL L. (You are Here)

DARSIE B. 

JUDY 

CAROL H.

MARIA 

LISA

LORA

DEANNE

FRED SHE SAID CHALLENGE BLOG

This blog hop will run from today, March 22nd until March 28. On the 29th, the winner will be announced on the Fred She Said blog.

Thank-you for taking the time to play along. Now, to continue the blog hop, please visit DARSIE B.

When you are finished hopping, why not check out the Fred She Said Store!

Hey, don't forget about the Challenge that is running over on the Fred She Said Challeng Blog either!  The theme is reall simple!  Just add 3 Hearts ANYWHERE on your card and make sure you use a Fred She Said image.  If you don't have one, there are plenty of Freebies here!  How easy is that?   Oh, and make sure when you enter that you link to the post where your card is, not just your blog (you don't want to be disqualified for something so simple, do you?)  Come and play with us and make some pretties! ;-)

Another Spring Card

The weather here is still super gorgeous and I am still making Spring Cards...lol  I know that we are going to be needing some rain soon, but I am really liking the nice blue skies and warm temperatures we are experiencing right now!  I can finally open my doors and windows to let out all of the old "Winter" air and let in some nice fresh Sprng air!  Ahhh!
Today's card is another from Fred She Said.  This one is the Carnation that I specially asked Tracey to make when she was drawing all of her Gorgeous Flower Digi's.  The Carnation is my favorite flower. ;-)  The Carnation and all the other Favorite Flowers can be found here.

Today's card is made on Green Mirri Board with a panel of textured Pink CS run through a Cuddlebug Embosing folder, Perfect Pearls and then a bit of Oil Pastels added for enhancement.  The Tea Bag Medallion is the Saw Blade Fold, Variation 3 from Rosa Clarke and the tile is by Marie B.  To color the Carnation, I used Prismacolor Colored Pencils and then Dry Blended them.  I used a new inkpad from Ancient Page in Pink Pizzazz around the edge of the Carnation which has been cut out with the Nestabilities Labels 4.  The peel-offs have been colored with Sharpies and the ribbon and gems are from my stash.

I hope you are all beginning to see the signs of Spring as well as I am!

Be sure to watch next week, as we have another Blog Hop coming up, which means some more awesome NEW designs from Tracey! :->

Spring is Here!!

Well, Spring has really arrived (it is 61° and the snow is almost completely gone!) and I just can't help making more of Fred She Said's gorgeous Spring Flower cards!

This one is the Lily of the Valley and can be found here.

I have colored the Lily of the Valley with Prismacolor Colored Pencils and then Dry Blended them.  The paper for the card is Textured cardstock that I bought at WalMart and I used Double Sided Sticky Tape and 2 different colors of Spring Green Glitter behind the panel that I made with one of the Cuttlebug embossing folders.  I first sprayed the paper with Glimmer Mist, then inked my folder, so the image is actually "de-bossed", rather than embossed.  I used foam tape to put it over the Glittered DST, then put my Lily of the Valley panel on over all of that with foam tape as well.  I then added a bow to the Lilies and some peel-offs to finish the card.  I will put a Sentiment on it later, when I know what I want to use the card for.

Be sure to check out the Fred She Said Challenge Blog if you haven't already.  We have a really fun Challenge going on and you still have time to make a card for a chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate at the Fred She Said Store! (You have until the 28th to enter your card :-) ) 

FSS Mother's Day Card

Well, some of you will know that my OH's opinion of my cards (and most anyone else's for that matter) is that "They are cards" and he usually just prints any HE needs off the computer from one of his Cardmaking Programs.  Well, I never cease to ask if he wants me to make him Special Cards anyways.  Well, yesterday I asked if he wanted me to make a Mother's Day card for his Mother.  Got the shock of my life when, not only did he say Sure, but picked out the specific design and backing papers he wanted me to use! :-O
The image he chose is a Fred She Said image called DAFFODIL CARDFRONT KIT 1.  I used the pricking pattern that comes with the set and stitched it with Variegated Blue and Yellow machine embroidery threads.  I printed out just the Daffodill from one of the sheets for this card and layered the bits with foam tape.  The border is colored with Prismacolor Colored Pencils and then blended with Baby Oils in my version of the Gamsol Technique.  The backing papers are from my first Backing Paper CD.  The sentiment is computer generated.

Cards made with Free Operation Write Home FSS Digi Stamp

Operation Write Home is a network of cardmakers who create blank handmade greeting cards in support of our nation's heroes for them to write home on. Operation Write Home recently started a new blog, Stars and Stamps, to inspire the many cardmakers. The Stars and Stamps blog features inspiration, challenge, tutorials, creativity and more! Operation Write Home is currently hosting a Half and Half challenge to inspire us cardmakers to create Mother's and Father's Day cards. Fred She Said Designs is offering a free Tulips digital stamp for Mother's Day and FSS DT Darsie Bruno has a wonderful tutorial planned using this freebie Tuesday March 9th on the Stars and Stamps Blog, Please check it out and, also, the latest Half & Half Operation Write Home Campaign  :)

Here are are 2 cards that I have made using the Free Tulips Digistamp.

Both images are printed on Watercolor paper which was spritzed with Interferance Red Perfect Pearls mixed with water BEFORE printing.

The first card, I was aiming for a bit of a Vintage look.  The Tulips are cut out with the Nestabilities Labels 4 dies, colored with Prismacolor Colored Pencils and Dry Blended.  Then the image has been distressed.  The panel behind it is Core'dnations Color Core Cardstock, Black Magic.  This has been cut with the Nestabilites Mega Deckled Rectangle, then embossed with a CB folder, then sanded with an emery board.  The card blank for this card was printed out using Photoshop to give it a "Waterstained" look, cut with a Deckle Edge Rotary Paper Trimmer.  The pink along the edge is actually along the inside of the card.  A bit of ribbon and some 1/2 pearls finish off this card.

This second  card, the Tulips were colored using Water Color paints and Perfect Pearls on top of that for a bit of shimmer.  The Green paper behind the Tulips is some Scrapbook paper that has been spritzed with Shimmering Mist.  These  layers are layered on the card with foam tape.  The large yellow "ribbon" panel behind the Tulip is cut with a Martha Stewart Edge Punch.  The backing paper on this card is some very old Hand Made Paper that has seen better days, but I thought it worked really well with this image.   Some ribbon, a few gems and some peel-offs finishe off this card for a nice Spring "feeling" card.

Oh, I'm Thinkin' Spring!

Can you tell?  I'm really starting to think Spring!  It got up to 48° F here yesterday and I SO wanted to throw open the doors and windows!  lol  Well, I resisted, but just barely...

Today's card is made using one of Fred She Said's very cute images called FSS- Bunneh! - Easter Bunny Digital Stamp and one of her many flowers (can't tell you which one...oops...cuz it is a leftover from a sheet I printed a LONG time ago).  Bunneh is colored with Prismacolor Colored Pencils and Dry Blended. and the Flower is done with Crayola Markers...my very first project with these and I really like how vibrant it came out!  After it was all colored, I spritzed it with a bit of Glimmer Mist (hard to see in the photo, but it really is shimmery!)  The flower is part of a project I am in the process of doing thanks to Shelly's Spotlight over at Fred She Said last week!  Have you checked it out yet?  If you haven't you really should!  Shelly used a whole sheet of flowers and made it as a gift, but I am using up all the partial sheets of flowers and other things and making up a box of Quick to Make Card Stuff (just putting it all in an old puzzle box for safe keeping ;-) )

The embossing on this card is from a Cuddlebug folder and it is my first (successful) use of the stamp pad that comes with the Perfect Pearls (Thank You Tracey for the tip! ;-) )  I shaved a bit of green chalk onto a ceramic tile and added some of the Perfect Pearl Green Interferance into that and mixed it up good and used that on the leaves so it is more visible and not just glittery and shimmery.  Worked pretty good.  I saved the leftovers too.  ;-)  The sentiment is computer generated and cut out using the Spellbinders Nestabilities Label 1 die as is Bunneh.  A bit of ribbon and some 1/2 pearls finish off this card.

Oh and if you haven't entered the Challenge over at the Fred She Said Challenge Blog, you still have time!  Why not give it a look and come play with us...you have a chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate at the Fred She Said Store!  Woohoo!