You brighten my life!

Hi friends!

It's Monday - again -  but hopefully this bright 

pop of NEON color will brighten your day!

And I'm pretty excited ~ 

I finally got to play with the NEON Karin markers

 which just arrived recently!

I have a slight obsession with all things neon 

as it brings me back to my inner 80's child :)

I created this card using Lawn Fawn's Our Friendship Grows

stamp and die set, and the sentiment is from Life is Good.

Once they were stamped and die cut, I colored them with the neon

Karin Markers - squeee!

They were as much fun as I expected them to be!

(The Video will be on my YouTube channel later today!)

The backgrond panel is an embossing folder from Taylored Expressions ~

I recently had an order arrived with a lot of goodies, including this folder!

I flipped it sideways to create an illusion of a wooden privacy fence ~

and the inspiration was from this fence photo ...

the IC from Splitcoaststampers this weekend!

In hindsight, they look like they are floating

and i probably should have added some stems! 

I was too mesmerized by the fun of playing with the neon markers, 

I suppose!

Here's a final look ~ and Happy Monday to you!

Thanks for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!

~Kelly

DDD ~ Mixed Up Cake Party - 10 Year Anniversary!

Today is a MOST exciting day!

The Dueling Darlings card group 10 years old today!

And in honor of that, we're having a 

MIXED UP CAKE PARTY!

We are 2 teams of card making friends - The Divas and the Dazzlers.

This month, I created and mailed out all 16 card kits to everyone.

The idea for a mixed up cake party is a play on cake and ice cream.

Our first duel was an ice cream theme so for this party, we're seriving cake! 

BUT!

To make it even more fun, 

the teams were mixed up!

 Some Divas were Dazzlers this month, and vice versa.

My children put the kits into random envelopes so I don't know who is where!

I'm kinda bummed that I stayed a DIVA,

 hee hee, but that's okay- it's all FUN!

For the Diva kits, I used The Cat's Pajamas stamps and we have the image:

Forget About The Cake.

I've used 3 of the patterned papers included in the kit

and as a way to pay homage to my cardmaking from 10 years ago,

I did 2 things:

I made a HUGE square card, measureing 5.5" x 5.5"

and added on tons of buttons!

My old cards always had buttons :)

My card has a TON of dimension ~ I popped up the bunny and cake, the buttons and the matching sentiment. This is SO me - go for the icing, LOL!

We've had a lot of fun games and prizes all month AND another suprise:

A GOLDEN TICKET!

In each card kit, there's a lottery ticket with a grand prize!

Here is mine ... and yes, it could be me, hee hee!

(I would have them redraw, of course, but it's fun playing along!)

What do you think - it's the winner, right?! :)

I absolutely can't wait to see all the cards this month!

Here's another look at my DIVA card:

This was truly a fun month and I hope everyone had a good time playing in the games and making cards! We're on Splitcoaststampers and in the thread called Dueling Darlings and we're also posting cards in the gallery, there!

Thanks so much for visiting and here's to 10 more years!

Big hugs, bigger blessings :)

~Kelly

CCEE2033: Everything's coming up roses!

Hi friends!

There's a new challenge at the CCEE Stampers this week ~

Everything is Coming Up Roses!

My rose card is using an image from Inkadinkado ~

heat embossed with black - a leftover image from a DDD kit!

It was perfect to use for this week.

I have a lot of flowers, and quite a few roses, but this was handy.

I watercolored the image with Altenew waterbrush markers

and then highlighted surrounded image with the aquamarine waterbrush markers.

I used the inside/out stitched dies from My Favorite Things for the image

and a rectangle stitched die for the outer base designer paper.

The sentiment is from Altenew and cut out with a small banner die.

That's it for me today!

Please stop by the blog for more inspiration from the Design Team

as well as linking up your rose cards.

Big hugs, bigger blessings!
~Kelly

Hot Mess Success ~ You Color My World!

 

Hello friends!

Today's a super fun day!

It's the day we post our cards for the Hot Mess = Success card group.

And ... it just got bigger by 2!

What's more fun than making messy cards?

Doing it with friends :)

Welcome Carol and Darlene!

So the Hot Mess = Success ... 

Here's how it all got started.

 I actually considered recreating this card, just slightly different.

But, I ended up making a different mess card instead 

as part of a new YouTube series I'll be doing!

I can't show you how and why I made this just yet 

(you'll see something like it soon if you are on Splitcoaststampers!)

and this is from The OOPS File *wink!*

Let. Me. Just. Say....

I don't like messes.

Nope.

 Not at all!

But during the creative process, making cards, it's a riot!

I decided to get out acrylic paint for this month's messy card

(acrylic paint?!  Someone ... anyone ... please take my temperature!)

It turned out to be SO much fun!

It took a few tries ... and this was a piece that didn't make the cut ...

until now.

I used Lawn Fawn's Color My World

and 6 different acrylic paints to create a rainbow.

I stamped the sentiment at an angle on purpose to go with the symmetry

of the card and cut/colored the crayons, then popped them up for dimension.

Surprisingly, this card turned out kinda groovy!

  

I know that my friends made x1000 better cards 

so be sure to check out theirs, too!

Barb

Carol

Darlene

Jeanette

Kelly (you're here!)

Terry

We'll be posting our Anything Goes cards every 12th of the month ~
the messier, the better!

And I'll be sure to post the other card and video when I can :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger blessings

~Kelly

I'd love to enter this to:  Word Art Wednesday - AG!

Paeonia Japonica ~ Paint a flower series!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

You may remember from this post that I signed up

for a few creative new ventures. 

It was mostly to reclaim the creativity during this stay-at-home time

and just simply try. new. things!

 

That's always great fun!

Even more fun, I spent yesterday ....

1. Making a new video for my (teeny tiny!) YouTube channel

2. Making a TON of cards!

I won't dare say I've 'caught up' but I'm pretty close :)

This is one of the new ventures - 

Altenew's Paint a Flower monthly flower program.

I have a couple of them and they are just fabulous each month!

This is the Paeonia Japonica ..

say that three times fast :)

I actually did some research for this flower and what it looks like,

how it can be colored,

but in the end, decided to use this as my WCW card for Splitcoaststampers.

I think we are up to challenge #10 or #11 already!

Each technique has been very fun .. including the 'white flower' watercolor.

I've also combined it with the Color Challenge from a few weeks ago:

BUMBLE BEES  N' PEACOCKS EATING  CHERRY COBBLER!

That's it for me today!

Thanks for stopping by ~

Big hugs, bigger blessings!

~Kelly

Stamp What?! ~ YUKON !

Hi friends!

It's the start of a brand new week

and I hope your Monday is off to a good start :)

This week is going to be JAM PACKED with cards for me ~

I've got lots of craftingl and lots of cardmaking to do ...

yay!

Today's card is courteousy of my teenage son ~ in 2 ways!

He chose the stamps and he created the idea of this monthly challenge. 

We call them my 'Old Dusties!'

 Back in January, we started chatting about stamps and card making.
He's a sweet and thoughtful boy

and probably one of my biggest cheerleaders ♥

We spoke out Stampin Up and how I next to never use them anymore.

He said "I have an idea!"

I'll pick a stamp set for you, you won't know what it is, 

and you have to make a card with it.

Deal?

Deal!

This month, he chose one of my VERY favorite sets: 

Yukon!

Last month, he chose another bear set (though it was camping!)

and I always ask how he choses the stamp that month.

Me:  I LOVE THIS ONE!  THANK YOU!  How'd you chose this?'

Him:  'When you called me,  I was playing PS4 with my friends

and you said you needed one - 

so I grabbed the one next to the one I chose last time.

And I love the outdoors."

LOL!

This set is from 2002 

and only ONE stamp in this set was ever inked up. 

This is definitely a KEEPSIES!

Here's my card, 

created by masking the moose and bear and mountains

and coloring with copic markers.

The sky is harder to see as I colored it a very light lavendar 

and I just loved creating this beautiful scene.

 I invited Barb and Jeanette to jump in with this challenge

and these two friends are always down to join

the crazy ideas I come up with!

What's new since 2002 with this Yukon set?

1. I used stitched dies, which we didn't have back then

2. I colored this entirely with copic markers, which I didn't own back then.

I encourage you to look through your old stash, too!

Dust them off, take them out and let them get inky!

Thanks for stopping by ...
Big hugs, bigger blessings!

~Kelly

3M: You're my very best friend ...

 Hi friends!'

Happy weekend! 

I hope you are enjoying the weekend so far.

The new blogger is misbhaving at the moment, LOL,

so my post will be super short!

Today's card is for the 3M image group.  
The other two members are Barb and Jeanette 
and all 3 of us alternate chosing a theme. 
 For August, Barb is the hostess
 and sent us this gorgeous rose from Gina K Designs.

I colored mine with Altenew watebrush markers

and just love the vibrancy you can acheive! I layered the red and pink

markers and painted in alternating colors. 
I used a few dies to create a frame and added vellum to switch things up! 

You can see Barb's card and jeanette's card on their blogs today

as well as let the cards be an inspriation - or maybe even a springboard - for creating and making happy cards! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger hugs!

~Kelly

Crafters of Faith: Isaiah 60:19

 

Happy Friday!

                                       I hope your weekend is off to a good start!                                                    Today's card is fro the Crafters of Faith card group                                                            and our hostess this month is Liz.

       We are making cards this month based on her challenge and scripture:

Isaiah 60:19 ~

  The sun will no more be your light by day, 

nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,

 for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

                           

Thank you, Liz!

Her challenge, along with the scripture is to use radiant or sundials

on our cards somehow.

Thank you, Liz!

Her challenge, along with the scripture is to use radiant or sundials

on our cards somehow.

I used the MFT stencil die to create sunbeams

and this little cutie is off to the beach!
i used a snow hills die to mimic waves that she is standing in.

Here is the inside of the card:

One of my HAPPIEST places!

The beach!

I know this isn't the most spiritual card

but that isn't necessarily the only requirement of the group.

We are faith-filled, creative and talented cardmakers!

Thanks for stopping by today!
Big hugs, bigger blessings ...

~Kelly

CCEE2032 - Lighthouse Day!

Hi friends!

There's a new challenge at the CCEE Stampers:

Lighthouse Day!

           

Liz is our hostess for August and she has lived most of her life near the Gulf of Mexico

 and salt water seems to run in her veins. 

When she found out that August 7th is Lighthouse Day,

 she is asking us to use a lighthouse in your cardmaking and

 use a scripture or encouraging verse to add to it,

 hoping these words can light someone's way on their path of life.

Oh Liz, me too!

We are SO SO lucky to live very close to Miami Beach

and I ADORE the water, the sound of the surf, the salt in the air, 

the smell of Coppertone :)

Here is my card for this week:

I used Lawn Fawn's Smooth Sailing

and just love this nautical stamp set.

It's also the first time I'm inking it up - eeek!

I tried to 'write in the sand' by using similiarly colored ink for the sand

but I think it looked better in my head, LOL!

Please be sure to link up your cards with Mr. Linky if you'd like to play along.

You can see the DT cards here on the blog.

A final look at my card:

Thanks for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger blessings 

~Kelly

TPB: Nautical Slimlne!

Hello friends!

Thank you so much for the sweet comments

on my daughter's college graduation!

We are so proud of her ~

now it's off to her Master's Degree studies :)

Today's card is for The Project Bin stamps

as it's my day to post on the blog.

I've used the Anchor's Away stamp set - a summer fave!

The slimline dies give this such a different and unusual look ~

 paired with festive nautical paper and vellum underneath.

As you can see, mine is well loved!

You can find this stamp set in the shop here

and here's a look at the stamp set all together:

Thanks for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!

~Kelly

I'll enter this to:  Cupcake Inspirations: Nautical

July Blind Box .- New Video!

Hi friends!

Today is a MARVELOUS day! 

 Our 3rd daughter is graduating from college today!

She's already finished all her classes in the Spring

and they've delayed graduation due to Coronavirus
with no intention to have another one so it's today via Zoom!
It's a huge milestone and we're so SO very proud.

We have a HUGE surprise for her 

with a commencement ceremony here at home

with all the pomp and circumstance

and she has no idea what we are about to pull off this surprise!

 I have a new video up on my YouTube channel

with the Blind Box from Marker Universe!

I thought it would be fun to try for the summer
 and stay-stuck-at-home moments during July. 
 A little adventure!

Here is the video if you'd like to see it 
↓



This was so much fun!

If you remember from this post, this was the 3rd something
that I signed up for :)
I'm still learning my way around and so far, it's been a blast.

I used the Picket Fence Studios Sweet Dear Friend
for the art and the rest was the box!

Here's a peek at my card
↓

Thanks so much to all that have subscribed and liked ..

I appreciate you!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!

~Kelly

Flying by with kites!

So 3 pieces of felt walked into a bar ............

:)

Just Kidding!

Today's card is something new to me ~ creating with felt!

It's also part of a contest for the Dueling Darlings card group.

This year is our 10 years of being together and 

we've had a whole lotta party going on!

All 16 members (myself included) were sent 3 banners in random colors

and a piece of red/white twine

and it's one of the party games :)

The rules!

  

Create a card using ONLY the 3 snippets of felt and the twine!

Sentiment stamps were allowed but that's it ~

no additional stamps or extras - just the kit.

In addtiion, there's a prize for the most creative card ~

by a non-cardmaking judge who will pick the winner!

The challenge!

For my card, I kept it to just the 3 pieces of felt and the twine,

which I unrolled from the red and used only the white.

No additional stamps or embellishments other than my cardstock, inks and glue!

The card!

When I first saw and boutht these banners, 

I saw the same thing my daughter saw: ghosts!

And my random colors in my envelope 

were pink, green and purple ~ hmmm.

To me, these colors said 'Easter' ...  now I've got Easter ghosts?!

LOL!

To create the background, I used in to create the clouds,

Lawn Fawn stitched rectangle slimline and an MFT cloud stencil, all allowed

and nothing additional is on my card!

And I really like it - it's super bright and colorful and oh. so. cheerful!

Here's a close up of the sentiment.

This is such a sweet message and it's from the Uplifting Thoughts

stamp set from Simon Says Stamp.

This is a pretty tall card - 9" x 3.75" to be exact!

Someone one said "slimline cards - once you take the plunge -

 are quite addicting."

I can certainly see that as they lend themselves to have a lot of room!

Trying to squeeze all this onto an A2 size card would be quite difficult ...

like me ...

trying to fit into my jeans :)

Final look!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!
~Kelly

Card entered to: Snippets Playground/ Pixie's Crafty Workshop

ARTastic Challenge - things that fly