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.

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 :-) ) 

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!

SECOND Fred She Said BLOG HOP!

Welcome to the SECOND Fred She Said blog hop!!! 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 blog here and start your hop!
Please, we would love it if you commented on our posts. Here, at "Fred" we have been getting all FLOWERy to hasten the arrival of SPRING! Come see what PRETTIES we have in store for you :)
Also, 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!
Here is my Fred She Said creation...actually, I couldn't stop myself...here are 3 of them! lol I did 2 of the Teacup Pansies in a brand new 5x7 Plaid & Gingham Background paper that I had just finished designing (availabel on CUP). I colored both Teacup Panises with Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils and blended them with water. The first card uses a bit of Shimmer Mist, and boy was I impressed!

The second card uses Perfect Pearls Interferenc Purple, mixed with a bit of water and spritzed on lightly and added a bit of Perfect Pearls Gold mixed with water to the band on the cup I also Distressed the edge of the Plaid & Gingham Backing Paper for a bit of a different look.

The Carnation was my Special Request Flower. It is my All Time Favorite flower and I did it in my favorite color on another of my 5x7 Plaid & Gingham Backing Papers. The coloring on the Carnation is done with Prismacolor Color Pencils and Dry Blended. I also used the Perfect Pearls Interferenc Green on this one, mixed with water and spritzed on a bit heavier this time.

My special code word is: SHE

Here is a list of the blog hoppers in case you lose your way:
FRED SHE SAID
Shelly
Michelle
Maria
Lora
Lisa F.
Julie S.
Judy A.
Darsie
Carol L.
Carol H.
FRED SHE SAID CHALLENGE BLOG
This blog hop will run from today, February 15th until February 22nd. On the 23rd, 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

Carol H.

When you are finished hopping, why not check out the pretty and new flowery things at the Fred She Said Store!

Valentine Napkin Card

Oh wow! I was digging through my craft goodies and I found this absolutely gorgeous Valentine Napkin! I just had to make a card with it! Well, actually, I only used 1/4 of the napkin. I have enough napkin left to make 3 more cards! :-> I started out by peeling the napkin so that I just had one layer (the colored part), then I used Freezer Paper and ironed the napkin to the shiny part of the freezer paper (colored side up)....make sure you don't touch your iron to the shiny part of the paper...it is plastic and will make a mess out of your iron! After I had my whole napkin done (I did the whole thing because it is ALL pretty and the freezer paper is big enough to cover the whole napkin) I trimmed it to 1/4 so I could make 1 card. Then I cut out each of the hearts with the Spellbinders Nestabilities Label 1 and mounted it onto card stock cut out with the same die. Before I mounted them on the card stock backers though, I spritzed them with Glimmer Mist though for a bit of pizazz! I layered them on the card with foam tape and added dome sticker hearts that I just happened to have in exactly the same colors to finish off the card.

Here is a close up of the Glimmer Mist...isn't it Gorgeous?!