Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - A Caffeinated Tree Frog!

Here's my 5th and final card for the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  What fun this week has been and there are well over 1,300 entries!  That's a lot of coffee cards! 

I used a super cute frog die from Impression Obsession for my final blog hop card - adding a coffee cup, that I stamped and fussy cut, to one of his sticky little hands!  This sweet guy measures just 3" tall and makes me smile every time I look at him!

I cut two full frogs so I could make him into a card.  I scored a line across the top of the inside piece, from ear to ear, and adhered them together with glue.  The score line allows you to fold a clean crease for opening. I also cut an additional head and popped that up onto the front with foam dots just for a little added dimension.  

I used two different green Copics and a white Stabilio pencil to make the dots on the green and a yellow Copic for the dots on his belly.  I cut extra hands out of yellow to match his belly - and colored his finger tips with a red copic.  I added red enamel dots for his eyes - drawing on the pupils with a Fine Tip Black Sharpie. 

(I googled tree frog for help with my colors!)

The sentiment inside is from a retired Coffee Set from Waltzingmouse.

They plan to announce all the random prize winners on Sunday over at the blog hop - fingers crossed!

Stamps:  Front of card: Coffee Cup, and sentiment - no name stamp set,  inside sentiment from Coffee Set  Waltzingmouse retired)
Paper:  New Leaf, Bright Buttercup, Orange Zest, Vintage Linen - PTI 
Ink:  Mocha - Altenew
Accessories:  Frog Die - Impression Obsession, Copics YG95, YG17, YR09, YR21, foam dots, Fine Point Sharpie, enamel dots - Altenew, white pencil - Stabilo

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - One Cup of Coffee

Today I have one more card for the Coffee Lovers Spring/Summer Blog Hop.

I used another humorous coffee stamp from Rubbernecker called Out of Jail.  I simply stamped the sentiment on a white panel and layered it over a black and white striped patterned paper to give the feeling of the jail!  I added a red acrylic heart for a touch of color.

There's just one more day to join in on the blog hop!

Stamps:  Out of Jail - Rubbernecker
Paper:  White, DP Bitty Big Smokey Shadow - PTI
Ink:  Obsidian - Altenew
Accessories:  Noted: Scalloped Square die - PTI, Red Hots Acrylic Hearts - Honey Bee Stamps.

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - But You Can Buy Coffee

Popping in with my third card for the Coffee Lovers Spring/Summer Blog Hop!  The hop runs through May 29th.

 For this card I used the Framed Coffee Cup stamp from Stamploraions and the Can't Buy Happiness stamp from Rubbernecker.

 

 My card base is cut out of Vintage Cream card using Noted: Scalloped Square Die from PI.  I added 3 Neutrals/Candy Dots from SU in the corner.

Are you joining in the blog hop?  There are lots of prizes to be won by random entries!

Stamps:  Framed Coffee Cup - Stamplorations, Can't Buy Happiness - Rubbernecker.
Paper:  Vintage Cream - PTI
Ink:  Mocha, Sand Dunes - Altenew
Accessories:  Noted Scalloped Square Die - PTI, Neutrals/Candy Dots - Stampin Up.

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - Life Happens

Today I have a 2nd card for the Coffee Lovers Spring/Summer Blog Hop.

For this card I used the stamp set Coffee with a Splash from Altenew.  I used three shades of brown ink to differentiate between stampings - Mocha, Espresso and Sand Dunes also from Altenew.

I added 3 brown sequins.  The card is cut out of Vintage Cream card using Noted Scalloped A2 Dies from PTI.   I used the SU Window Punch for the Life Happens sentiment which is popped up on foam dots.

There are lots of craft company sponsors providing prizes for randomly chosen entries - so you should play along!

Also linking my card to:
The Paper Players

Stamps:  Coffee With A Splash - Altenew
Paper:  Vintage Cream - PTI
Ink:  Mocha, Espresso, Sand Dunes - Altenew
Accessories:  Noted: Scalloped A2 die - PTI, foam dots, brown sequins, Word Window Punch - SU.

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - Rise and Shine

 Hurray!  It's time for the Spring Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!  

Due to social distancing - I've had plenty of time to create several cards which I'll post over the next week.  

There are lots of prizes given by many generous sponsors to be won by random entries so you should think of joining in!  Your cards must have a coffee/tea theme.

 Here is the first card I created - using the fun stamps from Taylored Expressions - Big Grumpy and Big Grumpy - Cat.  The coffee cup is from Coffee/Clear Stamps - Stampabilities. 

I colored the bear and the coffee cup with Copics.  I die cut the bear with his sign and layered it over a piece of coffee stain DP.  I added a red acrylic heart over the stamped heart on the cup and popped the cup up on foam dots.  The card itself is cut using Noted: Scalloped Square die from PTI.

Stamps:  Bear from Big Grumpy set, sentiment from Big Grumpy-Cat - Taylored Expressions, Coffee Cup from Coffee set - Clear Stamps/Stampabilities.
Paper:  Bristol Smooth Surface, Coffee Bean - PTI, Textures Paper Pad - JoAnn.
Ink:  Obsidian - Altenew
Accessories:  Big Grumpy Die - Taylored Expressions, Noted: Scalloped Square Die - Papertrey Ink, Copics RV32, E33, E02, W2, G21, foam dots, Red Hos Acrylic Hearts - Honey Bee Stamps.

A Felt Flower Birthday

Today I have another flower project using Eileen Hull's Sizzix Dies and it's a Birthday Card.

I die cut the flowers and leaves out of felt using Eileen's Journaling Cards:Flowers and Leaves Thinlit dies layering them over a panel cut with a Nordic Frame die from the Greetery and one of the dies from Mixed Media Thinlit dies from Sizzix.

Eileen's dies cut through the felt wonderfully - and felt adds such lovely soft dimension to a card!

Check out Eileen's blog every Wednesday to see what fun projects her Inspiration Team has created for the monthly theme!

Join Eileen on her twice weekly Facebook Live shows at Eileen Hull Designs – Tuesdays at 6:00 pm EST and Thursdays at 4:00 pm EST. Become a member of the Eileen Hull Fan Club-  a friendly, talented and encouraging community of crafty folks.

Stamps:  Birthday Basics - PTI
Paper: white, Limeaide Ice - PTI
Ink: Obsidian- Altenew
Accessories:  felt - Ellen Hutson, Mixed Media Thinlits Dies - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, Journaling Cards:Flowers and Leaves Thinlits - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Nordic Frames Dies - The Greetery, Tombow Glue, Foam Dots

May Mid-Month Reminder - CAS Stencil and CAS Watercolor Challenges

Today I'm here to remind you that you still have time (until May 24th!) to link up your CAS Stencil and CAS Watercolor card challenge entries!

For my stencil card, I used Altenew's beautiful Layered Dahlia A and Layered Dahlia B stencils. 

I watched the video linked over at CAS Stencil -  Layered Stencils by Jennifer McQuire using her Ink and Impress technique.

I brushed some Clear Glitter Wink of Stella over the darker orange parts of the petals.

Here's how I made this:  I first laid Stencil A over a piece of yellow card and sponged using a lighter orange ink.  Then I laid Stencil B over the panel and sponged with a darker orange ink.

Then I ran it through my Big Shot.

Here's the sandwich - base 1, cutting plate, Silicone Rubber pad, Stenciled panel, stencil lined up over stenciled paper, a paper shim if you need it (trial and error), cutting plate.

You can see the impression from the back

 and from the front -  cool right??!

And here is my watercolour challenge card -  Night Sky

I first brushed water over a panel of watercolor paper and then brushed on a watery purple water color paint in the center and then a light and dark watery blue over the rest of the panel.  I added a little watery black along the bottom.  I adhered tiny silver stars in the sky and a die cut stamped bunny colored with a grey copic.

We hope you'll join us in one or both of these fun CAS Challenges!  

The links are open through May 24th!

 
















  

 You'll find the CAS Stencil Challenge here.           You'll find the CAS Watercolor Challenge here.

Stenciled card
Stamps:  Direct Messages - Papertrey Ink
Paper:  Harvest Gold, White, Orange Zest - Papertrey Ink
Ink:  Chamomile, Marigold, Obsidian - Altenew
Accessories:  Layered Dahlia A Stencil, Layered Dahlia B Stencil - Altenew, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, Direct Messages Dies - Papertrey Ink, Silicone Rubber Pad - Sizzix, sponge pad and applicator - Ranger.

Night Sky card

Stamps:  Upon a Star - Lawn Fawn

Paper:  White, True Black - PTI, watercolor paper - Canson.

Ink:  Obsidian - Altenew

Accessories:  Upon a Star Dies - Lawn Fawn, Kuretake and Ruby Mountain water color paints, Star Confetti - Honey Bee Stamps, W0 Copic, Ultrabond adhesive - I Craft, foam dots, paint brush, water.

May Flowers with Eileen Hull Sizzix Dies

For the month of May,  Eileen Hull's Inspiration Team is using Eileen's Sizzix dies highlighting flowers!

Today I used Eileen's older Cookie Box Die as well as her Heart and Soul Flower, Spring Leaves die and the tag is from Credit Card Tags and Sleeve. 

 (You can often find Eileen's retired dies on Ebay or Amazon)

It measures 1 3/4" tall and 3 1/2" diameter.  Six of these small 1 1/2" cookies fit nicely inside.

 I placed a little flower and 2 leaves on the side of the box.

 Here's the cover with the ribbons untied.

 And inside are 6 little cookies - plenty of room for many kinds of food/candy treats or gifts!

A few photos of how I put this all together.

I cut the pieces for the Cookie Box out of Little Sizzles Matboard from Sizzix.  I die cut pieces of patterned paper to cover the top and bottom circles and the box sides strip.  I cut two pieces for the sides since my patterned paper was not wide and I cut off the tabs before adhering them to the matboard piece.   

The paper shows succulent plants but the flower looked similar to my die cut flower and I loved the colors on the paper!

I assembled the box using the instructions on the packaging of the die.

You can also make the box double the height by cutting another side piece as shown below.

Then I started die cutting various flower pieces out of the new Sizzix Sculpting Foam sheets - it's like Fun Foam but paper thin so it can be shaped.  

It's so thin that it's got a lot of static on it when cut and I had to wet my fingers to get them off my hands (!?!)

First I die cut several colors  of each of the petals on Eileen's Sizzix Pansy Flower Die.

I used this ball tool (don't know it's 'real' name?!) to round all the petals. I have a foam pad under the petals.

I got out some stamens for the flower centers.  These are by Wilton and I got them at Michaels.  They have fun fuzzy heads!

Then I cut the petals of  Eileen's Sizzix Heart and Soul Flower

Next, I die cut leaves using Eileen's Sizzix Spring Leaves Die out of two shades of green Sculpting Foam.  

Then I embossed them using the new 3D Leaf Veins Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  

They came out looking just like leaves!

Here I have a plain leaf next to an embossed one

And a close up so hopefully you can really see the leaf impression -  so fun and SO realistic!!

I folded each stamen in half and pushed the stem through each petal starting with the smaller petal up to the largest.  I applied glue where the petal hit the stem to hold it in place.  The stems are wire so can be bent to adhere the flower flat somewhere.

Here are the two large flowers I made and my thought was to put them on the top of the Cookie Box but I then placed them on the top to figure out how they would go and I felt they were too big!  

They measure about 3" diameter each.

I mostly design with the theory Less is More, so I ended up making a small bloom using just 3 petals from the Romance Flower die and two of the smaller leaves from Spring Leaves Die and I adhered it to the side of the box.

 I like the look of the 3 wrinkled seam tapes tied in a bow on the top.  This holds the cover closed and adds interest to the design as well without being too cluttered!  

I stamped the tag and tied it around the bow with twine.

I adhered the ribbons to the base with ScorTape so when the box is opened it holds the ribbons with the box.

So if you'd like to see some lovely spring flower projects - check out Eileen Hull's blog every Wednesday where the Inspiration Team's projects will be on parade! 

I'd also like to mention that Eileen Hull’s newest e-book, Pocket Notebooks with Eileen Hull & Friends, from Bella Crafts Publishing is now available! Follow the link to buy yours now to get your creative juices flowing! There are over 50 projects to inspire you, complete with instructions and links to the designer’s blog posts or videos. You will be amazed at the versatility of Eileen’s Pocket Notebook Die and the endless creativity of all the designers’ uses for it.

I'm proud to say that two of my Pocket Notebooks are included in this e-book! 

Stamps:  Happy Snippets - Penny Black.
Ink:  Obsidian - Altenew
Paper:  Little Sizzle Matboard - Sizzix, Hibiscus Burst - PTI, DP - Floral Paper Pad - Ms. Sparkle and Co/JoAnn.
Accessories:  Cookie Box Die, Spring Leaves Die, Heart and Soul Flower Die, Credit Card, Tags and Sleeve Thinlet Dies - Eileen Hull/Sizzix,  Sizzix Sculpting Foam, #D Leaf Veins Embossing Folder - Sizzix, flower stamens - Wilton, ScorTape, Tombow Glue, rounding tool, wrinkled seam tape, twine.