Snowflakes

Hello crafty friends,

On Sunday evening I agreed to make a card for a teacher that needed to be dropped off Monday morning! So I had to work fast! Fortunately Kim from "Art Keeps Me Sane" posted a snowflake card that was exactly the inspiration I needed! Thank you, Kim!

I had to make a big card 8.5" by 5.5". The stamp set is a discontinued one by Stampin' Up but I still like it a lot. I rubbed Metallic Gelatos on the stamps and spritzed them with water before I stamped them to get a watercolored look. They shimmer very nicely. Then I added a lot of Stickles for extra sparkle.

Just realized that it's not too late to enter it into the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Let It Snow".

It's also time to welcome a new follower - hurray! Mrs. A. from "It's an Alien Life". She is a seasoned blogger and crafter. You should check out her self imposed challenge to make a card for the 12 Days of Christmas. She is hilarious! 

The quote to welcome Mrs. A. is from Picasso:

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

If I don't have time to blog before the Christmas I wish you all a wonderful holiday! 

Thank you for your visit! I hope you will stop by again!

Susanne

Stamps: Stampin' Up (retired)

Other: Metallic Gelatos, Stickles

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Tissue Paper

Hello my friends!

Even though most of you might not even have noticed my absence in blogland I would like to apologize for not posting anything in so long. I have been frantically mailing out cards and gifts to Europe and have been busy with general holiday preparations. But today I would like to enter a card in the current Simon Says Monday challenge where we are supposed to use tissue paper. Put on your shades - my card is bright!

I had so much fun tearing tissue paper in rainbow colors and gluing it on a piece of watercolor paper with Modge Podge thinned with water. Then I cut it into strips and glued it onto a black card. I added a large star out of silver mirror paper and a smaller star out of gold glitter paper. When I am ready to send this card I will decide if I want add a greeting or not.

I was totally inspired by the fantastic tutorial by Anna-Karin! You should check it out! I can't wait to try out some of her ideas/techniques! Now to find the time...

Warm wishes,
Susanne

Dies: WPlus9 (stars)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
(And if you don't celebrate with a Turkey and all the trimmings... it's still a good idea to count your blessings!)

And here is my Thanksgiving card (actually two versions of it because I used a big sheet of paper and they all looked a little different):

I was inspired by Darnell at djkardkreations to use some of my patterned papers especially this card (second one) and those two!

Thank you for your visit and taking the time to leave a comment,

Susanne

Stamp: Inkadinkado (I believe)

Die: My Favorite Things

Baby boy

Happy new week!

Over at the Simon Says Wednesday challenge this week they have sketch for us. I like sketches; I find they help me a lot. So, of course, I made a card but first the sketch:

It's a lot of layers for me....

And now it is my great pleasure to welcome a new member:

Di from Pixie's Crafty Workshop

Yes, you guessed right! She is the wonderful hostess of the Pixie's Snippets Playground and as I mentioned yesterday she is celebrating 100 weeks with an amazing prize. Check it out and then get crafting! This is the saying that I picked out to welcome you, Di. Don't know by whom it is:

We don't stop playing

because we grow old.

We grow old

because we stop playing. 

That's why stampers never grow old, right?

Keep on playing!

Susanne

Stamps: Personal Stamp Exchange Home Decor (feet), Hero Arts (tiny carnival letters, dotted background)

Punch: Stampin' Up

Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug

Leftovers

Happy Sunday!

Yesterday I made a card with the leftover die cuts from this card which were still on my desk and which I couldn't just throw out as I am sure you understand... While I was assembling the card I guess I had a sketch in the back of my mind that I had recently seen somewhere. After a bit of searching I found the sketch and discovered that my card did indeed follow it. It is the Freshly Made Sketch #113.



And here is the card:

And a close up:

As you can see I did use sequins for this one and it makes it look more playful. I just don't think it would be a card for a guy whereas the other one is. At least IMHO. Here is the first one again:

Since I used snippets I am also sending this to Pixie's Snippets Playground where they are celebrating week 100. Hop on over and check out their prizes and then play along because I am sure you have some scraps or snippets or schniblets (as my friend L calls them) around somewhere.

Wishing you a fun and relaxing Sunday and as always, thank you so much your visit,

Susanne

Dies: Simon Says Stamp (happy), Papertrey Ink (birthday)

Inks: Distress Inks by Tim Holtz

Thank you for Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

Just a quick post because I want to go to bed but I also want to enter a card in the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge (Thanks/Thanksgiving) and it closes in 10 hrs... So if you can't sleep and want to make a Thank you or Thanksgiving card - play along! (And some day I will let you know much sooner about it so that you have actually time to get inspired, create something, and enter it!)

Can't share my Thanksgiving card yet so I have a Thank you card:

I am so sorry but the stamps are cling stamps and have no name on them. I just know that the word stamp is from Hero Arts. 

That's it for me tonight! Thanks for stopping by!

Another masculine card without embellishments...

... although I know plenty of women who like geometric shapes and shades of blue (myself included)!

This one is for CAS-ology where the cue word is "Triangle" and for MUSE challenge #43 where Theresa Clavird provided this beautiful card for our inspiration. 

I used her diagonal layout which I really like and will certainly use again. As I mentioned above I didn't use any embellishments but I did raise three of the triangles with foam pads - can you see? Click on the links to find lots of inspiration. For both challenges you have until tomorrow (Sunday) to play!

As always, thank you so much for your visit and your comments! They make me so happy!

Wishing you a restful and creative weekend,

Susanne

Stamps: Mama Elefant (Trifecta), My Sentiments Exactly (Birthday Sentiments)

Inks: Versafine (black), Memento Dew Drops 

Inky Birthday Wishes

Hi there, crafty friends,

In the midst of assembling my Christmas cards I took a break to make this card:

I was inspired by MIM #140 where Ashley shows us different ways to use ink pads on paper. Check it out! I also used the inlaid technique which I not only love because it makes mailing so easy. After I took the pictures I debated about adding some embellishments but couldn't make a decision. Might add something when I know who will get this card. What would you add?

As I played with ink I will also send it over to the Simon Says Monday Challenge.

Ha, and the gold piece of cardstock is a snippet, so the card also gets to play at Pixie's Snippets Playground!

Enjoy your day (my oldest turns 14 today!),

Susanne

Stamp: Stampin' Up

Die: Papertrey Ink

Inks: Distress Inks by Tim Holtz

Embossing Folder: Lifestyle Crafts

If you need more details, let me know!

Very CAS Thank you

Happy Monday everyone!

Hope you are all doing well and have a fabulous week ahead of you!

Here is a very, very CAS Thank you card for this weeks Simon Says Wednesday Challenge where they want us to keep it clean and simple. See how well I follow rules?

I have a hard time throwing pieces out that I cut off but usually I just put them on a (fast growing) pile. This time I actually used some on a card - go me! Added a wood veneer word bubble and called it a card. Didn't want anything else to distract from the colorful strips... 

So, this card is for all of you who take time to visit my blog and leave kind comments, I appreciate each one of you/them! Thank you so much!

Since I used scraps I am going to send this off to Pixies Snippets Playground where it seems the only rule is to use scraps. I might become a regular there since I use scraps on most (or maybe all) of my cards.

Hugs,
Susanne

Simon Says Monday and Wednesday Challenge: Anything goes

Hello friends,

How are you all doing? Hope all is well!

This year there were a lot of landmark birthdays of family and friends. Here are two of the cards I made. They are very similar but the color scheme is different.

The first one was for a dear friend whose birthday was last Wednesday. I like how the number is there but very subtle and not in your face! What you can't see well is that on the numbers I've used the Wink of Stella pen. 

The second one was for my sister-in-law who loves purple. On both cards I used the baby wipe technique which I love it because it is so easy and looks great (IMHO). 

I am entering them in the Simon Says Monday Challenge and the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge where "Anything Goes". 

And now it is time to welcome two new followers: 

Sian of handmade by Sian

Sian has had her blog since 2011 and you'll find lots of fabulous inspiration there. 

Dora B. of 7 Cardologists

Dora is the only blogger I personally know because I am one of the 7 Cardologists. She just set up her blog in Blogger, so please head on over and welcome her! 

The quote to welcome you is from the book "Tuesdays with Morrie", which I would recommend to everyone:

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."

That was a long post! Thanks for bearing with me! And as always thanks for visiting and leaving a comment,

Susanne

P.S. In case you were wondering about the corners on my Halloween card... That was a punch (that I broke while making them) by EK Success.

Green card:

Stamps: Wildflowers (Hero Arts), Happy Birthday (Make An Impression)

Dies: My Favorite Things (Large Classic Numbers)

Misc: Border punch (Stampin' Up), Oval Punch (Paper Shaper), LuminArte shimmering mist - solar gold

Purple card:

Stamps: Wildflowers (Hero Arts), Happy Birthday (Make An Impression), script background is unmounted and unfortunately doesn't have a name on the back

Dies: My Favorite Things (Large Classic Numbers)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Halloween or Halloween Colors

Last minute again! Here is my card for the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Halloween or Halloween Colors!

As you can see I was inspired by the colors of the fun mood board they provided. I would like to encourage you to play but the challenge closes in 10 hours... I really hope that I have more time to write my next post because I would like to welcome two new followers! 

Since I probably won't post before I wish you all a fun and safe Halloween!

Thank you so much for you visit and you kind comments,

Susanne

Stamps: PSX (cat), Inkadinkado (spider), Hero Arts (words)

Die: Lawn Fawn (word bubble)

Tuesday Trigger: Enthralled with Fall

The Tuesday Trigger over at the Moxie Fab World is this gorgeous photo

Instead of leaves this idea popped into my head:

The picture is not the greatest but it was already dark and I couldn't wait until tomorrow because the challenge closes tonight. (I will try to get a better picture tomorrow and edit the post.)

That's also why I will be very brief tonight.

Have a great week and thanks for visiting and commenting,

Susanne

Die: Simon Says Stamp (happy), My Favorite Things (scallops)

Ribbon: Stampin' Up 

Stamps: Hero Arts (Lattice), Impression Obsession (?), Hero Arts (dotted swirls), unknown/unmounted (script),  Impression Obsession (plaid)

Let me know if you have any questions...

Muse Challenge # 40

Happy Saturday!

This is already the 40th challenge at the Muse Card Club where everyone can vote for their three favorite entries but it's the first time for me to play! But how could I not? This week's muse is the one and only Darnell and not only did she provide a beautiful card to inspire us but also wrote a thought provoking post. Take some time and read it here. So how could I not make a card? First Darnell's inspiration:

And here is my card:

I wanted to use torn paper, not only because I love the look of it (at one time I was know amongst my stamping friends for the torn paper look) and hadn't used it in a while but also because of the symbolism that Darnell wrote about in her post. The vellum I used once covered some chocolates and I just couldn't throw it out. It is not wrinkled like it looks on the photo but has a pattern on it. (Wish I would remember which chocolates they were...)

Have a great weekend and hope you take some time to create something, maybe even for the Muse challenge...

Susanne

Die: Simon Says Stamp flower die, colored with Pearlescent Chalks from Pebbles, Inc.

"Less is More" week 142: Trees

Hello friends,

Another challenge that I have been following but never participated in is "Less is More". This week the theme is trees and I think you know by now that I love trees. So I felt I just had to make a card! The beginning of the week was busy so when I arrived at Stamp Camp* today this was the first card I made because the challenge is closing soon!

It is even a One Layer card even though that was not the challenge this week. Do you see the score lines on the bottom? 

* Stamp Camp: Every October, my stamping friend "Dora" kindly uses her timeshare for a whole week of stamping fun and invites all her friends. Some friends had to leave already and I could only come for the last two nights.

Maybe I will post again from our beautiful location...

Thank you for your visit and your comments. If you have any questions please contact me.

Susanne

Stamps: PSX (tree, it's from 1995, woohooo!), Stampin' Up (words, Simply Sketched)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Christmas/Holiday

Hello friends,

Hope all is well with you!
This week at the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge we are to enter Christmas/Holiday cards. I am one of those people who make the same card for everyone. I actually enjoy the mass production. That's why I cannot show you this year's Christmas card (don't even have a prototype yet - panic!). But I wanted to play and therefore went into my archives and will show you this card:

It's an ivory shimmer card, with a gold shimmer strip on the side, gold embossed with the music background. 

Have a great week,

Susanne

Stamps: PSX (angel collage), Judikins (music background)

CFC #116 Chevrons and Sequins

Happy Wednesday!

Over at CAS-ual Friday they want us to use Chevrons and Sequins and it was a great motivator to finally break open the sequins that I bought months ago. But where were they? I searched high and low and was growing desperate when I finally located them. Phew!



So here is my card:

The top chevron is cut from matte silver paper. The rainbow chevron is made by tearing tissue paper and glueing it onto watercolor paper, a fun project that I did at a friends house one day.

Thank you for visiting and for your kind comments!

Have a great day,

Susanne

Stamps: Hero Arts (newspaper background), sentiment computer generated

Die: Chevrons (My favorite things)

ric #45, CAS(E) this sketch #48

Hello everyone,

The inspiration picture of the Runway Inspired Challenge #45, Tanya Taylor is right up my alley! Black and white with bright colors and stripes! Sunday morning, while in the process of waking up, I had a, what I thought, brilliant idea. But it didn't work out. Oh well... I had a few other ideas and finally made a card with the current sketch from CAS(E) this sketch #48. But first the inspiration picture. Doesn't this dress look comfortable and actually wearable?

And this is the sketch

and finally my card

Thank you for your visit and for all your kind comments,

Susanne

Stamps: DRS designs (black and white stripes), Hero Arts (Everyday sayings - love this set!), the colored stripes are made with markers (years ago I tried to copy my favorite patterned paper that I couldn't find anymore) 

A baby card for Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

Happy World Card Making Day, my friends!

I did manage to make a card today. I needed one for a new baby boy and here it is:

And since it features plenty of dots it get's to play over at the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge, where they are going dotty this week. This is my second card for their challenge. The other one is here. 

Btw, the star is cut out from silver mirror paper. And the panel is mounted with foam tape, which doesn't show so well in the picture. 

Hope you find time to make a card or two today,

Susanne

Stamps: Hero Arts (dotted background, alphabet)

Ink: Brilliance Sky Blue

Retro Sketches #83, Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

Hello there,

I have been admiring the sketches at Retro Sketches for a long time but have never gotten around to making a card on time. I fell in love with this one when I first saw it over at Muse and now I couldn't miss another chance to play with this versatile sketch! So even though I have a million other things I should be doing, I sat down and made this simple card with a piece of cardstock that my friend M brought on a recent Thursday night for another project and which I ended up not using then.

First sketch #83




and my card

And since it has dots it also gets to play over at the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge, where they are going dotty this week!

Have great weekend,

Susanne

Stamp: Hero Arts

CAS(E) this sketch #47

Hello crafty friends,

I am back again because I really wanted to play with CAS(E) this sketch #47. I love their sketches but not always find the time to make a card in time. First this week's sketch:

And here is what I made:

I hope it is CAS enough. There are no embellishments but it really needed those layers. At least IMHO.

What do you think?

Stamps: Borders from the set Trifecta, words from the set So Breeze - all by Mama Elephant

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes

Hello,

Just wanted to share my card for this weeks Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Anything goes".

I made this card with my Stamping Friends. We have been getting together on Thursday evenings for more than a decade making cards, chatting, laughing and eating dessert. I am lucky, aren't I? 

We made the background scribbling watersoluble crayons on watercolor paper and wiping them with a baby wipe, a technique that I saw somewhere in blogland but don't remember where so I can't give credit. Sorry! I love the effect and it is so easy. I stamped the background again on the same pink cardstock (sorry, it looks more red on the screen) as the card and cut out the Eiffel tower. I added a little flag with the word dream. I shimmered the flag with a Wink of Stella pen, but that's really hard to capture on a picture. 

And now it is time to welcome new followers! Check out their blogs, they are full of inspiration! 

Cathy of Cathys Card Spot

I have only recently "met" Cathy and found already lots of inspiration on her blog

Victoria Highland (I didn't find a blog from you. If you have one please let me know so I can tell people to visit you!)

Ardyth Percy-Robb of MASKerade

This is another blog that I have been drooling over for many months. She has her own style and I just love her use of rainbow colors, sparkle and modern simplicity. 

Darnell Knauss of djkardkreations 

It seems to me that everyone in blogland knows and loves Darnell! She has a way with words like no other! I have been reading her blog for a long time and I can't tell you how often she has made me chuckle or laugh out loud with her stories. And she always has a creative take on the challenges out there. She was also very kind and helped with some blog "etiquette". 

And here is my a quote from Vincent van Gogh to warmly welcome you and thank you for following me:

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint" then by all means paint, and the voice will be silenced.

Wishing you a great week and lots of time to create,

Susanne

Stamps: Hero Arts (background), Lockhart Stamp Co. (dream)

Watersoluble crayons: Caran d'Ache

Simon Says Stamp Stamptember Wednesday Challenge

Hi there,

One of my hobbies is photography and before I stamped my cards I used photographs to make cards. I still like to do that but now I combine pictures with stamps and diecuts, etc. I recently bought this "happy" die (among other things) from Simon Says Stamp! and used it on my husband's birthday card. I know it is very simple but that's what he likes. I didn't choose this photo because it is so amazing but because it is the view from our campsite that we are lucky enough to get almost every summer and because it had lot of sky and worked well with the die. (Sorry, the picture of the card is not the best. It looks much better IRL.)

I would like to enter this in the Simon Says Stamp Stamptember Wednesday Challenge where we should use something that is available at their store. 

Have a great week with lots of time to create,

Susanne

Die: Simon Says Stamp!

Stamp: Hero Arts

CAS-ology #62

Hello crafty friends,

This is my first time playing with CAS-ology and I am entering this at the last minute. This weeks theme is "arrow" and I really wanted to use one of those arrow embellishments that have been collecting dust on my desk. Well, I ended up not using it... Here is my card with a "homemade" arrow:

Hard to see but true: The colored triangle is covered with clear Paper effects by DecoArt.

Have a great weekend,

Susanne

Stamp: Plano (Hero Arts), saying is computer generated

Happy Fall Birthday

Hello again!

First, let me thank you all for your kind comments for this card! I am so glad you liked it and that you took time to let me know!

And since you liked the last fall card, I have another one for you. I made it for the little bookstore that sells a few of my cards.

It is pretty self-explanatory, I think, but if you have any questions, please let me know. I don't know if you can see that I punched tiny maple leaves from the patterned paper and put them on the tree. Also some of the leaves I glittered. 

I am very happy to be able to welcome 4 new followers! Please check out their blogs for they are all longtime bloggers and you will find tons of inspiration there.

Rosi of "Let's take time and stamp with Daen'ys"

Debby of "A scrapjourney"

Lols of "Lorraine's Loft"

Kim of "Art keeps me sane"

Thank you, ladies, for following a total beginner who is still trying to figure out this blog thing. And here is a quote for you from Mother Theresa, whom I admire greatly:

Every act of love is a work of peace no matter how small.

Have a great day and make some time to create!

Susanne

Stamp: Rubbernecker (tree), words unknown

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Emboss it!

Hello again

I am back with a card for this weeks Simon Says Wednesday Challenge. They want to see embossing - heat and/or dry. 

I used the woodgrain embossing folder by Tim Holtz for the layer. The trees are stamped in a light color (went over the trunks and grass with markers) and then I colored the dots with different colored pencils. Some of the dots are then glittered with a rust colored glitter and most of the others are covered with clear paper effects. Here is a close up:

Thanks for visiting! Hope you find some time to create today!

Susanne

Stamps: Magenta (trees), Hero Arts? (words)

Embossing folder: Tim Holtz (Sizzix)

Simon Wednesday Challenge and my first follower

Hello again,

Time to celebrate! I have my first follower! Its Cornelia of Stempel Spass/fun stamping. I have been inspired by her blog for quite a while now, so you should definitely take some time to check it out! She always welcomes new followers with a beautiful photograph that she has taken and another blogger (Darnell of djkardkreations), that I love to visit, greets her followers with a sweet and often witty remark. Since I am not nearly as good with words as she is but still want to do something special, I thought I could post a favorite quote. I love and constantly collect quotes and sayings. So here is one by Nadia Bolz-Webe

"And isn't life just too short, too sacred, and too important to skimp on joy?" 

Ok, but I also have a card to show and that I would like to enter to the Simon Wednesday Challenge where the theme this week is "Animal Antics". Coincidently my card features another saying that might come in handy some day, you never know...

The inside says: ... for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup! 

It always makes me chuckle!

Now, I have been stamping for a very long time so you might see some older stamps here, that might not be available anymore but I still like them and want to use them. I hope you don't mind and that it might even inspire you to dig out your older stamps and show them some love!

Thank you for visiting!

Susanne

Stamps: All Night Media (dragon), saying is computer generated, dragon background is unmounted rubber and unfortunately I have no idea which company it is from

CFC 113 take two

Hello again!

Another card for the CAS-UAL FRIDAY 113 challenge of "kraft and type", that I made out of scraps of yesterdays card. It practically made itself which doesn't happen very often.

ETA: This card was a Contender at CFC!

Thanks for visiting!

Susanne

Stamps: Hero Arts, Morning Star
Die: Memory Box

CAS-UAL FRIDAYS

Hello! 

Today I have a card for another challenge! Yes, I am surprised myself! This time it is for CFC113 to combine kraft and text.


And this is what I made (I hope it is CAS enough...)

I absolutely love the newspaper print background from Hero Arts. You might see it often... In the center of the flower is a holographic dot. I like them because they make mailing easy.

Hope you have time to create something today!

Susanne


Stamps: Hero Arts (background), Happy Birthday from the dollar bin at Michaels, Stampin' Up (leaf) 
Die: Memory Box