Monday Montage - Painted Pumpkins

Happy Monday! The Monday Montage Crew has some AMAZING things to share with you this week! I’m turning up the fall vibes at my house … even put up my Halloween decor over the weekend! Woot! Woot!

I’m reallllly enjoying playing with the Hot Foil System!

The gold bricks laid down on some Cajun Craze??? GORGEOUS!

The pumpkins, vines and sentiment all came from the Painted Pumpkins Bundle.

The frame is from the Phrases & Frames Dies … it fits PERFECTLY around the brick, don’t you think??

So that the background would go with the rough-hewn brick look, I just wadded it all up and then flattened it back out (after doing the hot foil, of course). I even added a little splatter using a Cajun Craze Stampin’ Blend (which is a little hard to see in the photo).

The pumpkins and vines were brushed over just a little with one of my blending brushes! Really makes me wish I had planted a garden this year (dumb drought made me decide against one!).

Stamps: Painted Pumpkins

Paper: Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Pecan Pie, Early Espresso

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Versamark; Stampin’ Blends - Cajun Craze

Accessories:  Echoes of Detail Hot Foil Die, Painted Pumpkins Dies, Phrases & Frames Dies, Linen Thread, Adhesive-Backed Metallic Gems, Gold Foil

What’s your favorite time of year?? Mine is most definitely fall … the colors, the smells, the temperature … it’s all the BEST!

Our Monday Montage Hop has gone exclusively to Instagram! You can check it out by finding me @tinkermom85. From there you will be able to find all of my Monday Montage Friends, too!

TGIF Challenge #596 - Inspiration

I guess it’s really turning into fall! I am not sure what has happened to this entire year, but it sure has gone by quickly!

This week’s TGIF Challenge is based on inspiration from the photo on the left … fall has always been my favorite time of year, so this one was really fun!

Check out the blog challenge here - TGIF Challenge Blog if you’d like to play along.

I haven’t made a gatefold card with a belly band for quite some time, so creating this fun little pumpkin patch using the new Painted Pumpkins Bundle seemed the perfect opportunity to do so.

I loved layers the pumpkins with fall colors - Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Peaceful Pine and Granny Apple 

Green! I offstamped the Peaceful Pine to make the leaves look more dimensional.

Peaceful Pine is fast becoming one of my new favorite colors (to be fair, green IS my favorite color!). I used one of the dies from Sweet Words & Labels to make the sentiment panel … this particular die fit perfectly!

Stamps: Painted Pumpkins

Paper: Basic White, Pumpkin Pie, Peaceful Pine

Ink: Peaceful Pine, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Granny Apple Green, Early Espresso

Accessories: Painted Pumpkins Dies, Sweet Words & Labels Dies, Adhesive-Backed Metallic Gems, Linen Thread

I think I’m actually going to put up my Halloween/fall decorations this weekend … I decorate as much for Halloween as I do for Christmas … can’t help it!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out our blog HERE and Instagram … lots of great inspiration from the rest of the TGIF Crew!

Hot Foil??? YEESSSSS PLEASE!!!

Did y’all know that Stampin’ Up came out with a Hot Foil System a few months back???

I did … and chose to “ignore” it … I did NOT need it … I did NOT want it … I was NOT gonna buy it … at all … ever …

Yeah, yeah, yeah … you know how THAT goes!

I received all my new goodies last weekend and I AM OBSESSED!!!

It was so much quicker and easier than I had anticipated it to be … and making his card was WAAAYYYY fun!

I knew I wanted a multicolored fall wreath. Choosing which colors to use was the hard part. 

I did a bunch of fussy cutting on this one (which I actually enjoy and find very therapeutic). But the wreath itself was included in the dies I had purchased, as was the Buffalo Check Background (which I LOVELOVELOVE1).

I used the Rustic Check 3D Embossing Folder as it seemed the perfect addition … and there IS a hot foil die included with the Wreath & Wonder Bundle that is a bunch of splatter that I didn’t realized I needed to use until AFTER I had already embossed the background. SO … I just pulled out a gold glitter pen and made my own splatters. Lesson learned for next time!

Stamps: Wreath & Wonder, Phrases & Frames

Paper: Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Misty Moonlight, Blackberry Bliss, Gold Foil

Ink: Crumb Cake, Versamark

Accessories: Rustic Check 3D Embossing Folder, Wreath & Wonder Hot Foil Dies, White Embossing Powder, Linen Thread, Adhesive-Backed Sparkle Gems (retired)

There are a LOT of hot foil die bundles that I see making their way into my collection before too long … sigh … another addiction, I suppose!

TGIF Challenge #595 - Black & White - Whoops!!

I guess it helps to read the instructions!!

This week the TGIF Challenge Team was challenged to make a card with the Artisan Sketched Garden Designer Series Paper.

Give that I am a Last-Minute Lucy all the time, I went and looked at this graphic and thought, “Oh cool! Black and White!” WRONG!! Dang it!! Well, I am posting my card anyway!

Check out the blog challenge here - TGIF Challenge Blog if you’d like to play along.

Because I don’t actually have any black and white DSP (at least not any that I wanted to use!), I decided to make my own!

The background was created using the Water Decorative Mask (from the Dotted Lines & Water Decorative Masks pack).

I LOVE how it looks!

I used the stamps and dies from Lovely Arrangement to create the focal point, and even added some vellum by cutting some leaves using the dies. 

And, I cheated a little. The black and white gingham ribbon just HAD to go on this even though it is retired! (So are the embellishments … I couldn’t help myself!)

Stamps: Lovely Arrangement

Paper: Basic White, Basic Black Vellum

Ink: Black Memento

Accessories: Lovely Arrangements Dies, Black & White Checked Gingham Ribbon (retired), Adhesive-Backed Sparkle Gems (retired)

I’m actually wearing a sweater today … and it’s RAINING!! Hallelujah! (I don’t really need the sweater any more, as it has warmed up a little since I left the house). Fall is coming, though!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out our blog HERE and Instagram … lots of great inspiration from the rest of the TGIF Crew!

Monday Montage - Memorable & Tile Garden

Happy Monday! The Monday Montage Crew is back! The girls have turned up the volume this week … GORGEOUS projects!!

I made my own background using some watercolor paper and image from both Memorable Garden and Tile Garden.

After stamping the images using Hydrangea Hue, Old Olive and Crushed Curry, I pulled out one of my watercolor brushes and lightly brushed over all of the images. I wanted to make it look like I actually painted the images (or at least look a LITTLE like I did!).

I roughed up the edges of the watercolor paper panels using the edge of a pair of scissors. I felt like it needed a little “aging” to go with the “watercolor-y” feel I had achieved.

A little ribbon and a Tile Garden sentiment panel and I was done! 

Stamps: Memorable Garden, Tile Garden

Paper: Watercolor, Hydrangea Hue

Ink: Hydrangea Hue, Old Olive, Crushed Curry; Stampin’ Blends - Pumpkin Pie

Accessories:  Tile Garden Dies, Hydrangea Hue 1/4” Bordered Ribbon, Glossy Garden Dots

It’s almost time to start decorating for fall/Halloween … I’m actually thinking about starting this weekend to get ahead of the game. What do you think? Are you ready for fall?? Have you started decorating yet??

Our Monday Montage Hop has gone exclusively to Instagram! You can check it out by finding me @tinkermom85. From there you will be able to find all of my Monday Montage Friends, too!

TGIF Challenge #594 - Sketch Challenge

How fun is this sketch??? I came up with an idea right away when I saw it!!

This week the TGIF Challenge Team is working with this super awesome sketch!

Check out the blog challenge here - TGIF Challenge Blog if you’d like to play along.

I don’t do horizontal cards as often as I do vertical ones, so it was nice to have a challenge that pushed me in the right direction!

I had been out of town for several days and came back to an unopened box that contained both the Elegant Leaves Bundle AND the Luxe Foliage DSP, both of which I used here.

I also pulled out an old faithful friend … my trusty paper crimper. The leaves and gold on the DSP look so pretty with the added dimension the paper crimper adds!

A few dies from both the Elegant Leaves Bundle and Sweet Words & Labels helped me create just the right balance of things to add to the focal point … I love fall!!

Stamps: Elegant Leaves

Paper: Pecan Pie, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Golden Glow, Crumb Cake, Luxe Foliage DSP

Ink: Early Espresso, Golden Glow; Stampin’ Blends - Pecan Pie

Accessories: Elegant Leaves Dies, Sweet Words and Labels Dies, Adhesive-Backed Metallic Gems, Linen Thread, Paper Crimper

Just back from all ny traveling back and forth the last two weeks … I guess how I have to say excuse to put off the “spring cleaning” I totally intended to do in May … it may be time for a yard sale!!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out our blog HERE and Instagram … lots of great inspiration from the rest of the TGIF Crew!

TGIF Challenge #593 - Color Challenge

What do you think of this soft, beautiful color combo? I love it!

This week’s TGIF Challenge is to use the lovely colors of Very Vanilla, Lost Lagoon and Fresh Freesia. Elegant and fun!

Check out the blog challenge here - TGIF Challenge Blog if you’d like to play along.

The focal point of this slimline (3.5”x8.5”) card is the word FRIEND, made using the Playful Alphabet Dies, Two-Tone Lost Lagoon and Fresh Freesia cardstock and the new Soft Weave 3D Embossing Folder.

Small amounts of the white core from the two-tone cardstock came through when I put the completed letters through my embossing machine using the Soft Weave 3D Embossing Folder. I love the effect!

The background was created using a blending brush and some Fresh Freesia ink. I then splattered a little bit of both Fresh Freesia and Lost Lagoon ink using my Stampin’ Blends. The edges were roughed up using a blade from some scissors.

The flowers and leaves were cut using a few of the Help Me Grow Dies and some Very Vanilla cardstock. I lightly colored the centers of the little diecut flowers using the Stampin’ Blends. Adding three different-sized Antique Pearl Embellishments and called this card complete!

Stamps: None!

Paper: Very Vanilla, Lost Lagoon 2-Tone, Fresh Freesia Two-Tone

Ink: Fresh Freesia; Stampin’ Blends - Lost Lagoon, Fresh Freesia

Accessories: Playful Alphabet Dies, Help Me Grow Dies, Antique Pearls

I’ve spent my entire summer going NOwhere … and since last week I have been to Disneyland, Bear Lake and am now headed to Stagecoach, Nevada, to visit my niece, nephew and two grand nephews! Great way to finish up the last month of summer!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out our blog HERE and Instagram … lots of great inspiration from the rest of the TGIF Crew!

Monday Montage - Memorable Garden

Happy Monday! The Monday Montage Crew is back! Having been out of town for the whole last week I had to play catch up once I got home yesterday!

I haven’t watercolored a background for a while, and I felt the need to be crafty! I used some watercolor paper and stamped and spritzed several large and small flower images using the Memorable Garden Stamps. I did some off stamping for the tiny Hydrangea Hue flowers, and I spritzed the already-inked stamps for the large flowers. 

Of course, I couldn’t resist flicking some ink using my Stampin’ Blends … I love how this came out!

Stamps: Memorable Garden, Tile Garden

Paper: Basic White, Watercolor, Mosaic Garden DSP

Ink: Hydrangea Hue, Crisp Cantaloupe, Night of Navy; Stampin’ Blends - Night of Navy, Pumpkin PIe

Accessories:  Hydrangea Hue 1/4” Bordered Ribbon, Glossy Garden Dots, Stapler

Our Monday Montage Hop has gone exclusively to Instagram! You can check it out by finding me @tinkermom85. From there you will be able to find all of my Monday Montage Friends, too!

Stampin’ Fancy Friday - Letter Challenge

Isn’t it crazy that it took me until I was 27 years old (again!) to learn that I actually liked cats?? We adopted our sweet Willow last October and have been smitten with her since day ONE!

Soooo … I used a combination of letters from the Mini Alphabet and Party Alphabet Dies, Cutest Crew stamps and Vanilla Baker’s Twine to create a scrapbook layout to capture her sweet and mischievous nature!

Willow is a bundle of fun! She loves crawling in, around and under things and is very enamored of Amazon boxes (empty or full!). She is very friendly and loves to be where the people are!

I made this little ball of yarn using some Very Vanilla Baker’s twine. I stuck a little adhesive down and just wrapped my own little circle … then added some little pieces to cross over the ball and cascade down from there.

I used an assortment of circle punches to add interest and dimension behind the letters and kittens.

The pawprint strip from the Cutest Crew Dies added the most darling detail to the “MEOW”. If you look closely you can see that the left-hand side of each letter is actually a strip … I did a little cutting and pasting to be able to add them to these letters.

Of course, the Cutest Crew kittens make appearances all over this page … it wouldn’t have been nearly as cute without them!

Stamps: Cutest Crew

Paper: Basic White, Pecan Pie Two-Tone, Lost Lagoon Two-Tone, Basic Gray, Gray Granite, Country Woods DSP

Ink: Black Memento; Stampin’ Blends - Pecan PIe, Crumb Cake, Smoky Slate, Gray Granite, Lost Lagoon

Accessories: Party Alphabet Dies, Mini Alphabet Dies, Cutest Critter Dies, 1 3/8” Circle Punch, 2 3/4” Circle Punch, Very Vanilla Baker’s Twine

Check out all the fun things created by the Stampin’ Fancy Friday Challenge Team on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/stampinfancyfriday/!!!

Mosaic Garden Suite

Eeeeep! You GUYYYYSSS! There is nothing that I DON’T love in the new Mosaic Garden Suite!!

The Tile Garden stamp set (all of the images are SO pretty!!), the Glossy Garden Dots, the Hydrangea Hue ribbon, the DSP … ALL of it is just so elegant!!

All of the flowers were fussy cut (something I actually enjoy … it relaxes me!), so this took a little time. But I absolutely ADORE how this came out!!

I mean, COME ON!! The Mosaic Garden DSP that I used as a backdrop is the BEST!!! It looks embossed, doesn’t it??!!??

I used the Glossy Garden Dots and the Hydrangea Hue ribbon to balance out the details. And the Textured Tree Ring 3D Embossing Folder was just the perfect splash of texture I needed to give the Pecan Pie strip some dimension that makes it pop!

Stamps: Tile Garden

Paper: Basic White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pecan Pie, Pretty Peacock, Mosaic Garden DSP

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Crushed Curry, Hydrangea Hue, Pretty Peacock, Old Olive, Versamark

Accessories: Textured Tree Ring 3D Embossing Folder, Glossy Garden Dots, Hydrangea Hue 1/4” Bordered Ribbon, White Embossing Powder

What’s your favorite element? I love it all, so picking a favorite is probably impossible for me!

It’s my birthday week and I’m just back from Disneyland before heading up to Bear Lake for a weekend of doing mostly nothing (something I don’t do enough!). Summer is already winding down … how is that even possible??!??