Bear’s Paw Succulent and Hugs, Thinking of You, Paw-some Friend Cards

Hello all! I’ve found another old post in my ‘drafts’ folder and have finally gotten it polished off for you… These were some sweet gift sets I made up last year when I found some ADORABLE Bear’s Paw succulents and put them in some cute cactus shot glasses from Dollar Tree and paired them with some stuffed bears and a handmade card to make some sweet and encouraging gift sets for some beary pawsome friends. First up a set for a special couple needing encouragement:

Awww! That sweet Pink & Main bouquet on the front of the card is colored with some fabulous shimmery Shuttle Art Gel Pens and a hand-drawn edge.

The inside has some cute Pink & Main stamps to match the gift, too…

I’m just head-over-paws in love with those darling bear’s paw succulents (Cotyledon tomentosa)! Aren’t they just TOO cute?!!

Of course, this post was done in March last year (I TOLD you I was backlogged!). Today I stopped by mom and dad’s and saw how much they have grown in such a short time:

This set went to a single friend, so there’s just one bear inside…

 

Supplies used:

• Pink & Main stamp sets: Fur Ever, Grandma’s Lace, Mini Faces Set 1, and Thinking of You Always
• Shuttle Art Gel Pens

And, I had this darling interlocking ‘hugs’ card for another friend:

Supplies used:

• Concord & 9th Hugs Card die
• Concord & 9th Cuddles & Hugs stamp set
• Essentials by Ellen All Inside stamp & die and Bear Hugs die
• DCWV The Butterfly Garden stack cardstock
• Hero Arts ombre ink pads: ombre dolphin ; pink to red;
• Tsukineko Memento Rich Coocoa dye ink
• Copic Markers C1 E 13, 33, 71; R20

I hope you enjoyed these Pawsitively darling little treats!

~D.Ann

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pps: UPDATE: Dad finished his radiation treatments Friday. YAY!! Doc said it’ll probably take a couple of weeks for the side effects to resolve. She’ll see him in 5 weeks and then order tests – likely a PET scan – to be done at 8-10 weeks. Meanwhile he’s to exercise, eat well, exercise and stay healthy so his body can clear out all the irradiated cells. We’re looking forward t a good report!

Hope you’re all staying healthy and sane in these crazy times.😉

 

 

 

Wake Up Brave ‘Floating’ Masculine Card and Personal Update

Hello! It sure has been a long time!!

Many thanks to those of you who have written inquiring why I’ve been away so long and then sent encouraging notes!! My heart always swells with your kindness!!

For those of you unaware, it’s been a rough few months: It started with the 40 year concrete reformation on my building that required everything off my patio for a few months… no small feat as my patio is about 1/2 the size of my efficiency! That left me with just a path from the kitchen to my bed and hardly any room to turn around, let alone craft. Then we decided to evacuate with Dorian as having gone through Andrew and Wilma taught us we never want to risk Cat 4/5 storms if at all possible. I sure feel for the folks in the Bahamas!! One small wobble and that could have been us. To top it off there have been some major family and personal health issues. As you know, it’s hard enough for me to keep up when life is ‘normal’ let alone upside-down. Despite all of that, I DO have a few posts back-logged and will post them as I can.

Enough about me. I wanted return by sharing with you this masculine ‘floating’ see-through Wake Up Brave card I made for my father who has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (he starts chemo tomorrow):

Supplies used:

• Altenew Dodec cover die
• Spellbinders Labels 18 dies
• DCWV Shimmer Stack cardstock
• Sookwang Scor-tape
• Metal token from Hobby Lobby
• Acetate repurposed from packaging

May we all Wake Up Brave as we face each day!

I intend to be back in time for the Cat Lovers Hop (5th year!) coming up the 21st (if not before). See you there!!

Hugs to you all and thanks for your continued support!

~D.Ann

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Darling House Mouse Cards

Hello and welcome! Today I have a set of darling House Mouse cards to share with you.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I’ve been trying to keep up with #TheDailyMarker30Day coloring challenge this month. This time around I’ve tried to stretch my coloring skills, and ventured into doing some skies with Copic markers.

Previously, after finishing coloring the main image in Copics, I’ve used chalks for the sky because I would get streaks and unevenness trying to do a sky with Copic markers. I think I’m finally getting the hang of it! On this first card I was also pleased to get a bit of reflection of the walnut in the water, with a natural ripple look, too:

Love the sheen of these DCWV Shimmer Stack papers!! For the inside, I dry embossed the dye (you’ll see it better in the next cards) and used the cutout center as a decorative element:

On the second card, I added some rain to the sky. Here in Florida, it can be both rainy and sunny with a blue sky while raining, rain on one side of the street, but not the other, etc., so I didn’t feel like I needed clouds. I didn’t have a good terracotta color in my Copic collection, but I found that RV 34 and R22 mix together nicely for a close match.

Since part of the die impression reminds me of suns, I ran over the raised ‘suns’ with some yellow chalk and added this little guy celebrating, with my own sentiment:

For the final card, I decided to switch the ice cream color from pink to strawberry-flavored red to match the cardstock. The House Mouse stamps have names for most all of their critters. The bunnies are Hop-it and Itty Bit. I love that little Itty Bit fell asleep in a sugar coma before he got his face and paws cleaned off! : ) I also like that the frame die kind of reminds me of a waffle cone pattern! Since my hands were actually steady today, I took a chance on writing my own sentiment:

Here’s the inside:

        

Supplies used:

• First card (Maxwell floating in a walnut)
  • Stampendous House Mouse Pop Stamp set HM01A: POPHM01-09
  • Tonic Studios Deco Oval Trellis die set
  • DCWV The Shimmer Stack cardstock
  • Recollections white cardstock 65# and 110#
  • Tsukineko Memento Rich Cocoa dye ink
  • Copic Markers: B02, 21; BG90; C3; E00, 02, 31, 33, 37, 51; W1; Y35; YG61, 63; YR02, 04
  • Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss Ripened Pumpkin
  • Prima Marketing Planner Glue Pen
  • Simply Defined adhesive runner and ‘Stay Put’ adhesive glue
• Second card (sitting in a flower pot in the rain)
  • Stampendous House Mouse Pop Stamp set HM01A: POPHM01-02 & 07
  • Inside: Stampendous House Mouse Pop Stamp set HM01A: POPHM01-03
  • Tonic Studios Deco Oval Trellis die set
  • DCWV The Shimmer Stack cardstock
  • Recollections white cardstock 65# and 110#
  • Tsukineko Memento Gray Flannel & Tuxedo Black dye inks
  • Copic Markers: B02, 21; BG90; C1, 3; E00, 02, 51; G24, 82; R22; RV24; YG61, 63; Y35; YR02, 04
  • Pebbles, Inc. Pearlescent Chalks – Jewel Tones
  • Sakura MicroPerm 01 Ultrafine pen
  • Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss Red Berry
  • Prima Marketing Planner Glue Pen
  • Simply Defined adhesive runner and ‘Stay Put’ adhesive glue
• Third card (ice cream bunnies)
  • Stampendous House Mouse Ice Cream Lick
  • Tonic Studios Deco Oval Trellis die set
  • DCWV The Shimmer Stack cardstock
  • Recollections white cardstock 65# and 110#
  • Tsukineko Memento Gray Flannel & Tuxedo Black dye inks
  • Copic Markers: B21; C3; E02, 31, 33, 51; G24, 82; R24; RV02; YG17 61, 63
  • Pebbles, Inc. Pearlescent Chalks – Jewel Tones
  • Sakura MicroPerm 01 Ultrafine pen
  • Prima Marketing Planner Glue Pen
  • Simply Defined adhesive runner and ‘Stay Put’ adhesive glue

I’m entering this card in the following fun challenges… click on any of them for more information on how you can play along:

• House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge HMFMC #284 Love/Anything Goes (I’ll enter the first card from here and the other two from Instagram)

• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Add Some Red Cards 2 & 3 (3 entered from IG)

I’m glad you stopped by! Hope to see you again soon!!

~D.Ann

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Cup of Cheerful Columbine Card and Robin Eggs

Surprise! I’m back!! A lot has happened since my last post and part two will have to wait a bit longer. Meanwhile, it’s time for the 2018 Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Hop.

Although I haven’t had much time for crafting lately, I was excited to make up the new Power Poppy Cheerful Columbine stamp as it is a prefect reminder of a couple of the fun highlights of my recent trip to Indiana… My aunt’s columbine flower patch and getting a birds eye view of newborn baby robins!

This year the robins built their nest in my aunt’s garage window. They were very attentive to their family.

    

  

Here’s a video of the the first two newly hatched. They’re not the cutest, but still they’re amazing! (click in the middle of the pic to start the video):

View this post on Instagram

Newly hatched robins in Southern Indiana – one yesterday, one today and the third egg probably tomorrow. #Awww #robins #robinegg #babyrobins #robineggs #robinnest #robinsnest #newbornrobins #babybirds

A post shared by @ d.ann.c on May 7, 2018 at 12:14pm PDT

Aww!!

Columbines are one of my favorite flowers. Their little stamen bunches look like little balls of sunshine! Did you know the first official Colorado State Song was Where the Columbine Grow? For me, they grow in my aunt’s flower garden in Indiana!! I was happy that they had just started blooming when we were there. My aunt has several nifty varieties. Here are just a few:

  

 

   

That last one on the right is a Clementine Rose Columbine.

  

I chose these as a color guide for my card (they go the best with the MarkerPop challenge colors this month – see below):

What a sweet tea cup full of flowers! To give the flowers a sense of depth, I fussy cut them and a couple of extra plus the robin and an extra egg. I used flower shaping tools to shape them and foam dots to help hold their shape.

I added the little seeds stamp and filled them in with Liquid Pearls… there was even room to poke a seed in her beak. A little Wink of Stella gave some morning dew sparkle to the slower petals and cup.

Materials used:

• Power Poppy Cheerful Columbine stamp and little seeds
• Spellbinders Thoughtful Expressions Thinking of You die set
• Recollections cardstock: white, brown and Blig Bloom (peach)
• Memento Rich Cocoa dye ink
• Copic Markers: B02, 05, 21; C5, FYG1; G05, 09, 24, 82; N4; R20, 22, 32; RV63; V12; W3, 5; Y000, 32; YG17
• Ranger Liquid Pearls Coral & Dark Chocolate
• Pebbles, Inc. Chalks
• Martha Stewart Crafts Florentine Gold Microbeads
• Misc foam dots and pvc glue

I’m playing along in the following hops and challenges – click on any one for more information on how you can join the fun:

• 2018 Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Hop
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Inspired by a Song
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Use >1 Stamp
• Simon Says Stamp Work-It-Wednesday May 2018: Sunshine & Summertime
• Marker Pop Chellenge #136 Summer Fun

  

Thank you for stopping by today and for sharing your encouraging comments – I always look forward to reading them!

-D.Ann

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Papertrey Ink 10th Anniversary Celebrating… 2012 – Thinking of You Card

Here we go with another card for Papertrey Ink ‘s 10th anniversary – this time Celebrating the Past, Present and Future: 2012.

Once again I didn’t have the featured sets, but I chose this card by Dawn McVey’s for inspiration:

I pulled out my new DCWV Hello Darlin’ stack and found a couple that matched the raspberry fizz paper. cut my tags with my Fiskars paper trimmer and scissors. All you need is the corner of a square piece of paper to mark the triangle at the bottom.

I couldn’t just let the leftover triangles go, so I went ahead and decorated the inside, too…

Supplies used:

• Papertrey Ink Mat Stacks 2 collection stamps & die
• Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz cardstock
• DCWV Hello Darlin’ pack cardstock
• Core’dinations white cardstock
• Papertrey Ink dye ink: Raspberry Fizz
• Memento dye ink: Tuxedo Black
• Recollections faux pearls
• Copic marker RV17
• Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ runner

I’m playing along with the following challenges… click on any one of them for more information on how you can join the fun…

• Papertrey Ink: Celebrating the Past, Present and Future: 2012
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Use Your Favorite Tool (Fiskars paper trimmer and scissors)
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Fantastic Florals
• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday: New Product (DCWV Hello Darlin’)

I’ll probably be back later this evening… see ya soon!

~D.Ann

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Papertrey July Blog Hop Challenge

Ha! And you THOUGHT I was done! So did I! Then I found my card for the Papertery July 2016 Blog Hop Challenge and realized – That’s Today!! So… If you want the details, please check this post on my blog tomorrow as I will fill in the details later, but I must post the pics now to get it in the hop. TTFN, as Tigger would say!

*** Now updated ***

The Inspiration:

I took the white quatrefoil on grey and the orange/peach and pale blue and came up with this card:

Supplies:

• Papertrey Ink Quatrefoil & Layerz Mat Stack 2 die
• Papertrey Ink In Bloom & Mat Stack 2 Collection stamp sets
• Papertrey Ink dye inks: Hawaiian Shores, Orange Zest & Tropical Teal
• Papertrey Ink Orange Zest paper
• Recollections blue and white cardstock, foiled & embossed card.
• Aleene’s spray adhesive

I’m playing along with the following challenges. Click on any of them for more information:

• Papertrey July 2016 Blog Hop Challenge
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge- Add Some Texture

Good night and rest well!! I know I finally will!!

~D.Ann

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Stamp-a-Faire 2016 – Watercolor Like a Master – Thinking of You Card

Hello, again! I’m back with another card from Papertrey Ink’s Stamp-a-Faire 2016.

This lovely session was titled Watercolor Like a Master. My inks didn’t want to move as much as hers did, but I was able to bring in extra from a palette. Here’s how it turned out:

Supplies:

• Papertrey Ink Spiral Bouquet and We Go Together stamp sets
• Papertrey Ink dye inks: Hibiscus Burst & Ocean Tides
• Memento dye inks: Bamboo Leaves & Dandelion
• DCWV card
• Sequins: Verve, Neat & Tangled (Tangerine), and Craftin’ Desert Diva’s Pretty Petals
• Tombow Xtreme permanent adhesive
• Aleene’s Tacky Glue

I’m playing along with the following challenges – click on any one if you’d like more details as to how to play along:

• Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-Faire 2016: Watercolor Like a Master
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge- Add Some Texture
• CropStop Linky Party #18 – Anything Goes
• The Daily Marker’s 30 day Coloring Challenge (via Instagram) 

I’ll be back later with the final card from the Stamp-a-Faire, and then I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the day. Promise. : )

~D.Ann

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PTI Make It Monday #256 – Spritzed Stamps – Thinking of You Tulip Card

One last post for today.. While I was playing with my Papertrey Ink stamps, I decided to give this past weeks Make It Monday challenge a try… Spritzed Stamps.

Yes, it gave a little extra texture, but it wasn’t as smashing as the examples in the tutorial. Perhaps I tried the wrong kind of stamp.

I also tried using my Nuvo Crystal Drops in alternating colors and drawing a line through them with a straight pin… pretty nifty! I need to practice this to get it down perfect.

Supplies:

• Papertrey Ink Tulip Time & Floral Sketches stamp sets
• Papertrey Ink dye inks: Hibiscus Burst, Lovely Lady, Ocean Tides, Raspberry Fizz
• Memento dye ink – Pear Tart
• Canson cold press watercolor paper
• Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops – Gloss: Bublegum Blush & Carnation Pink
• Recollections shimmer card
• Tombow Xtreme permanent adhesive
• Misc. twine

I’m playing along with Papertrey Ink’s Make it Monday #256 Challenge: Spritzed Stamps. Click on the highlighted challenge to learn more about it.

I’m done in for today. Hope to finish up the Stamp-a-Faire posts tomorrow. See you then!

~D.Ann

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Stamp-a-Faire 2016 – Floral Impressionism – ‘I Should Write’ Card

I’m back again with a card from the next session of Papertrey Ink’s Stamp-a-Faire 2016.

This time the focus was on Floral Impressionism. There are some interesting video clips of Monet on the post HERE.

Here is my take on the session:

It was a very time-consuming technique, but I really love how it turned out!

I was also influenced by Virginia’s View All About Color Challenge

   

Supplies:

• Papertrey Ink Floral Sketches stamp set
• Papertrey Ink Boutique Borders: Friends die
• Papertrey Ink dye inks: Aqua Mist, Hibiscus Burst, Lovely Lady, Orange Zest, Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise
• Memento dye Inks: Bamboo Leaves, Dandelion, Lulu Lavender, Pear Tart, Summer Sky, Sweet Plum
• Versamark Ink
• Inkadinkado Linen White embossing powder
• Canson cold press watercolor paper
• Recollections shimmer card
• Tombow Xtreme permanent adhesive
• E.K. Success corner rounder

I’m playing along with the following challenges… click on each one to find out more info:

• Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-Faire 2016: Floral Impressionism
• Virginia’s View Challenge #22 – All About Color
• The Daily Marker’s 30 day Coloring Challenge (via Instagram) 

I’m going to take a break and hope to be back soon with the next post.

~D.Ann

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