myasperations 5-30-24

    It’s MerMay again on Sweet November Stamps (SNS) FB age… and I’m posting another card featuring an adorable SNS digi image named Shimmer  Redkelp. I don’t usually use watercolors, but I attempted that technique on this digi. The result is that Shimmer isn’t as bright as usual, but I kinda like the muted colors on this card. I found the wonderful brass-colored paper embossed frame in a dollar store a while ago, and  Shimmer looks adorable peeking around into the framed background. (And how fun that her earrings "wink" at us with a pearly shimmer!) 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Shimmer RedKelp and Otto)

·   Colored with Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Sentiment from Sweet November Stamps (Empowering Sentiments Pack)

·   Stickles- Diamonds and Stardust versions (to add texture and sparkle to scales and water.)

·   Fancy Foliage Dies- Spellbinders Our Daily Bread Designs (Appears to be retired)

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

The Paper Shelter- #64 Fantasy or Fairy Tale Characters

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes

Friends of Sweet November (FB) Mermay

Time Out Challenge- #264 Magical    

      This month’s Progressive Challenge at Outlawz provided a yummy piece of birthday cake and banner. I looked through my stash when pondering a way to inspiration struck! This funny sentiment was upcycled from a card that a super sister-in-law sent to me earlier this year She has shared lots of hilarious stories about what my hubby was like as a kid, so this one really made me laugh. I finished the card with a piece of pastel-patterned paper and some sparkly hearts. I am thinking a bit of color and bling. An added note- my youngest brother's wife has a birthday in a few months and I'm sending this card to her. I know she has heard how he terrorized his three sisters for much of our childhoods, so I think she will like it!

    The pastel-checked paper is a freebie from a recently discovered FB page, Bonnie Kohane Craft Time. (You might recognize this talented artist's name as she is a DT for several digi lines and owner of a wonderful digi shop on Etsy named WeAre3. Sadly, Bonnie closed her Etzy shop last November. So I was happy to find that she has a FB page, where she occasionally offers freebies like this pretty paper!)

    I’m entering this card into several challenges including Allsorts Challenge: Blast from the Past (As noted in my write-up above, the sentiments were upcycled on a birthday card that reminded me of all the stories I’d heard about how my sweet hubby once terrorized his three sisters. Thankfully he’s mellowed during the 48 years I’ve been training him! But his sense of humor and antics still make me laugh, and sometimes guffaw, on a regular basis!)

Supplies: 

·   Free Digi provided for Outlawz Progressive Challenge May 2024 (Birthday Cake and Banner, that I plan to use on graduation cards!))

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Pastel patterned paper- A freebie from Bonnie Kohane Craft Time (FB).

·   “Frosting” made with Liquid Pearls Pretty Pink

·   ”Whipped Cream” made with  Scribbles Shiny White 3-D Paint

·   Sparkly Heart Stickers- Hobby Lobby

·   Sentiments- Upcycled from an old birthday card

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #649-650

Allsorts Challenge- Week 782: Blast from the Past (Option AG)

Outlawz Challenge- Progressive Challenge (May)  

Outlawz Challenge- May 2024 Linky

    This last card is for the Polka Dot challenge at Double D’s (a favorite challenge of mine!) 

I made the cross stitch bunny over 20 years ago… and the cutie just jumped from a box of treasures I’ve had in storage for… well… a long time. (I love the look of cross-stitching but have never found it relaxing. Then, after I decided to make an x-stitch of Mount Rushmore as a gift for a family member 20 years ago, it was my final attempt. Mainly because I had to undo the stitches after several oopsies. The final oops was when I miscounted on the stitching on of shading on President Washington’s face. After two attempts to redo it, my eyes were tired of trying and… well… I just left George looking like he’d possibly had his nose broken in a bar fight! I gifted all of my flosses to one of my sisters and constantly revel at the works of art that she creates with tiny x-stitches!)

    Anyway, back to my card. I did a bit of experimenting, and successfully "fluffed" his tail by gently pulling and teasing the embossing floss thread apart with a needle. A favorite wood-mount stamped sentiment attached to two colors of polka-dotted paper, plus polka-dotted ribbon completes the fun card!

     I’m entering this card into several challenges including Park Hopping-My Happy Place where the challenge is anything inspired by a theme park. This is one of my favorite challenges… as it has introduced me to many new places to add to my bucket list! I used the wonderful “inspiration” listing that sponsor Makira provides,  to find a park in beautiful Germany that offers an adorable ride named Bunny Hop for young children. The park also includes other rides for older children, two toboggan runs, specialized enclosures with animals of all sizes (with details about each species posted), and more! (Looks like a place that offers something to excite people of all ages!)

Supplies: 

·   Cross-stitch rabbit from an instruction booklet I gave away long ago!

·   Inside sentiment- Printworks Stamps (I found a site that lists stamp company status HERE  and sadly PW is no longer in business. )

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #230

Double D’s Challenge- Polka Dots  

Park Hopping-My Happy Place (May)   Bunny Hop

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday (Use Ribbon)