Friendship and Feathers

I love drawing inspiration from challenges- especially when it's a really tough color scheme, like this weeks colourQ challenge.  Or CAS(E) this Sketch! challenges- which give me a template to build off of. 

This friendship and feathers card fits both challenges- and was so fun to make.  I would say it 'kills two birds with one stone', but that somehow doesn't seem appropriate for this card...

I was having a really hard time figuring out how to incorporate the colors in this card- until I found the All Abloom DSP Stack in my stash.  It's a stretch- the Melon Mambo is a little pinker than Poppy Parade.  I like it though- busy and colorful- like walking through a garden in full bloom.  This paper really is gorgeous- and it's retiring soon so it's on sale!

 I tried something new with my ribbon- I looped and doodled with it trying to create a stitched look with no-sew simplicity.  I just used little dots of hot glue to hold it where I wanted it, and added buttons to hide the imperfections.  The bird stamp is from 'A Happy Thing', a Sale-a-Bration set that is no longer available but I just had to use for this card.

Stay tuned for a grad themed card coming later this week!

Lemon Naturals Card

I have a new favorite thing--the naturals cardstock.  It has beautiful, tiny flecks of color.

Just look at that incredible 'natural' look-it gives it subtle texture and depth.  I just had to pair this with the lemon from my new "A Happy Thing" set I got as a Sale-a-Bration reward.  The mossy meadow rope/twine is also a Sale-a-Bration reward- and I love it! It came with buttons and twine in each of the 2014-15 In-Colors.  Sale-a-Bration ends March 31 so get your orders in before it ends! 

Butterfly You

Let me give you a little insight into my creative process.  

I start with something I really like--in this case it was the butterfly thinlit dies.  I then find a paper or an accessory to compliment it.  This paper comes from the occasions catalog and Sale-a-Bration, as well as the embellishments.  

Just start putting things on the page and rearranging them.  Start simple to get a basic idea of what you want and where you want it.  You can see I chose to do a patterned background, a butterfly as the focal point, and a sentiment. 

Then do it a second time but elaborate--use more layers, more accessories, more patterns, more wow.  I just keep adding things until I feel that if I added anything else I might ruin the card.  I don't usually show anyone the first version (lucky you!) and I almost always like the second card better...

...wouldn't you agree?

So Thankful Gift Boxes

In honor of November, and the many feelings of gratitude I have, I have been trying to show family and friends that I feel blessed to have them in my life.  You could consider this a 'gratitude journal' of sorts--but I am recognize important people in my life, not things.  Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for some things (especially a roof over my head and food on our table) but it is the people that really make a difference.

Today I made cupcakes and these adorable gift boxes to deliver them in.  In retrospect, mini cupcakes might have been smarter... but these sure are cute!  I actually really like that they spill out of the box.  I managed to snag cupcake liners in a shade extremely similar to Hello Honey.

 

These were so easy to make. I really love the 2014-2016 In Colors, and I think they lend themselves perfectly to this season.  Blackberry Bliss is an unexpected pop of color for a fall palette!