Saturday, March 30, 2024

CCM Saturday Blog Hop - Texture Time


Today's Create With Connie & Mary Saturday Hop theme is textures! Whether you use embossing paste and masks, embossing folders, or textured dies (like the grass die used here), there are plenty of ways to add texture to your project. I was actually going to use embossing paste, which I rarely do, but I can't find my palette knives. I know they're around here somewhere, so I refuse to buy more. You just know as soon as I ordered more, the original ones would show up, lol.


Three strips of Soft Sea Foam (1 1/4" x 5 1/4") were embossed with three different folders and adhered to the card base. Then one of the gorgeous scenes from the Meandering Meadows DSP was die cut with the arch. (Truly....you need to see this paper in person!) I used a Radiating Stitches die for the greeting to mimic the stitches on the arch.


After that, I just cut the grass layers from Garden Green, stamped and colored the wheelbarrow full of flowers, the watering can and garden tools, and then added some dragonflies to complete the scene! Did you know dragonflies are beneficial? They consume 10-15% of their own weight per day on insects like mosquitoes, termites, deerflies, horseflies blackflies, and midges. Too bad ticks aren't on the menu. 😬

That's all for today - see you next Saturday! Up next is Libby Fens at Libby Stamps. Or click the "back" button to go back to Lori at Loritamarie Crafts.


Stampin' Up! products used:

  • Stamps: Garden Meadow (Online Exclusive)
  • Paper: Basic White, Soft Sea Foam, and Garden Green Cardstock, Meandering Meadows DSP (Online Exclusive)
  • Ink:  Basic Gray, plus Stampin' Blends Combos Smoky Slate, Pebbled Path, Basic Black, Bubble Bath, Highland Heather, Melon Mambo, Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, and Old Olive
  • Accessories: Garden Meadow Dies (Online Exclusive), Radiating Stitches Dies, Basics 3D embossing folders, Fern 3D embossing folder, Fun Patterns embossing folders (Online Exclusive)





Thursday, March 28, 2024

Thursday Challenge - CCMC811


Welcome to another sketch challenge for the Create With Connie & Mary Thursday Challenge. I decided to use the Pansy Patch bundle for this card because it's retiring and has never seen ink! I know, bad Cindy. That happens all too often, and I'm really trying to be better, but there's so many pretty stamps and not enough time to use them all!

This is the sketch we're working from this week:

I used some of the lovely Perennial Lavender DSP (that is NOT retiring!) for the background and White Glimmer Specialty Paper (online exclusive) that was colored on the back with a Dark Highland Heather Stampin' Blend to make the glimmer the color I wanted.


The pansy was die cut from watercolor paper and painted with a water painter and Fresh Freesia and Highland Heather ink. The leaves also watercolor paper painted with Lost Lagoon and Pretty Peacock.


Some Purple Fine Shimmer Gems added a bit more sparkle. One can never have too much sparkle, right?

Next week we will have a new name! Mary Brown is retiring and going to travel the country with her husband, so Debbie Henderson will be filling her shoes. Still the same design team (sans Mary) but with a new name. See you next Thursday!


Saturday, March 23, 2024

CCM Saturday Blog Hop - Peek-a-boo



Today's Create With Connie & Mary Saturday Hop theme is peek-a-boo cards where the inside shows through the front. This is so easy to do with the Everyday Details bundle! The Everyday Details Dies can make dotted rectangle or circle windows. I went with rectangle for the flowers in the vase.


I'm happy to say the Everyday Details stamp set and dies are carrying over, but sadly, not the Simply Elegant Trim. Boo. I used the Dark Moody Mauve (In Color that is also retiring) Stampin' Blend to color the silver trim for the bow.


That's all for today - see you next Saturday! Up next is Libby Fens at Libby Stamps. Or click the "back" button to go back to Lori at Loritamarie Crafts.


Stampin' Up! products used:

  • Stamps: Everyday Details
  • Paper: Basic White and Poetic Expressions DSP
  • Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Blends Combos Moody Mauve, Bubble Bath, and Mossy Meadow
  • Accessories: Everyday Details Dies, 2023-2025 In Color Dots, Simply Elegant Trim





Thursday, March 21, 2024

Thursday Challenge - CCMC810


Today's Thursday challenge are the colors Bubble Bath, Lemon Lolly, and Soft Sea Foam - such pretty Spring colors! I thought they would be lovely for someone celebrating a Spring birthday, so I grabbed the Filled With Fun bundle (an Online Exclusive) and started playing. I love my job!


My original plan was to make a little red wagon like I had when I was a kid, but the color clashed with the pastels. Then I tried Pecan Pie, and it was still too dark, so next was Smoky Slate and it was just right.


The embossed background is from the Fun Patterns embossing folders, which are also Online Exclusives. I like the little bit of texture it added. That piece measures 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" and is mounted on a 3 5/16" x 4 1/4" Lemon Lolly mat. I colored and fussy cut an extra bow and popped it up on the gift for more dimension.

The confetti was stamped on the sides with Soft Sea Foam ink for a little more pizzazz, and Bubble Bath "hubcaps" were added to the wagon wheels. 😉

Product List

Saturday, March 16, 2024

CCM Saturday Blog Hop - Easter Parade



Today's Create With Connie & Mary Saturday Hop theme is Easter Parade. Easter comes early this year - just over two weeks from today!

I still have Easter Bunny from the annual catalog, but I wanted to play with Excellent Eggs from the mini. This was one of the cards we made in the monthly stamp club last Saturday.


The Lighter Than Air DSP works so well for pastel Spring colors! The Fresh Freesia egg is one of the patterns in that pack, as is the striped pastel rainbow background. Sure made for a quick and easy card!


Isn't that bunny adorable? I had first thought of making it a chocolate bunny, but the details would have been lost in a darker brown color.

That's all for today - see you next Saturday! Up next is Libby Fens at Libby Stamps. Or click the "back" button to go back to Lori at Loritamarie Crafts.


Stampin' Up! products used:

  • Stamps: Excellent Eggs
  • Paper: Basic White and Fresh Freesia Cardstock, Lighter Than Air 6" x 6" DSP
  • Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Medium Natural Tones Stampin' Blends
  • Accessories: Excellent Eggs Dies, Stylish Shapes Dies, Everyday Details Dies, 3/8" Sheer Ribbon Combo Pack




Thursday, March 14, 2024

Thursday Challenge - CCMC809


This week's Thursday challenge is a sketch, and since I'm still loving the whole Flowering Zinnias Suite Collection, my card features four items in that suite. Unfortunately the Shiny Sequins aren't available at this time. The estimated back in stock date is April 29, but everything else is currently available!


I started by embossing the background with the Zinnia 3D embossing folder and very lightly blending Berry Burst on a few of the flowers. Next the full flower (two dies) and half-open flowers were cut from Berry Burst, the zinnia center from Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie, and the stem/leaves from Parakeet Party.*


Two of the half-open flowers were glued behind the 2 3/4" x 4" Flowering Zinnias DSP before it was adhered to the card. The greeting was stamped on 1/2" x 4 1/2" Basic White and popped up. The full zinnia was also popped up and Shiny Sequins were added to finish the card.


*Are you aware that Parakeet Party is one of the In Colors that is retiring next month? The retiring In Colors always seem to sell out before the catalog ends, so if you liked any of them, make sure you get them while you can!

Product List