Just Keep Smiling

During this time of quarantine, Brandy and I miss crafting together.  It isn't that we did so often - we didn't see each other every week sometimes.  It's more that we can't see each other.  So I had an idea to create a challenge each week - one just for Brandy and she could create one just for me.  Brandy has to amp the idea up and came up with our official title:  Better Together - A Mix and Match Challenge.  As the quarantine process has extended and even though there are re-openings everywhere, out of an abundance of caution and love for our fellow citizens, we continue to isolate to help slow the spread of the virus.  As such, we decided to modify the challenge for the month of June.  Instead of a weekly challenge, we determined to use a capsule crafting approach.  Capsule crafting was created by Kristina Werner and you can see her take in these posts.  I explained how I chose my capsule supplies in this post.  

I used my capsule to craft this set of cards.  I didn't exactly follow the mood board that Brandy created (which I loved), but I did use up some patterned paper from the stash which I've had for easily over 10 years.  It's a K & Company paper pad and you can probably still get it at Joanns.  It is time to use that up!  I didn't use anything up, but I did use up about four of the 6 x 6 pieces of paper from the pad.  I'll claim the win!

My butterflies were stamped with Distress Oxide inks using my SSS Beautiful Day stamp set and then watercolored with various Distress Oxide inks.  I fussy cut the butterflies out for inclusion on my card.  I also found some cotton ribbon and matching pink seam binding to use to accent the cards.  

So pleased with how these cards came out.  I'm loving using my capsule.  I really want to get back to that mood board... maybe the next set.

 

Better Together - A Mix and Match Challenge Using Capsule Crafting by Andie

During this time of quarantine, Brandy and I miss crafting together.  It isn't that we did so often - we didn't see each other every week sometimes.  It's more that we can't see each other.  So I had an idea to create a challenge each week - one just for Brandy and she could create one just for me.  Brandy has to amp the idea up and came up with our official title:  Better Together - A Mix and Match Challenge.  As the quarantine process has extended and even though there are re-openings everywhere, out of an abundance of caution and love for our fellow citizens, we continue to isolate to help slow the spread of the virus.  As such, we decided to modify the challenge for the month of June.  Instead of a weekly challenge, we determined to use a capsule crafting approach.  Capsule crafting was created by Kristina Werner and you can see her take in these posts.  I explained how I chose my capsule supplies in this post.  

I decided to have one more crafty session with this month's capsule crafting using Brandy's delightful mood board.  These cards were made with the SSS Beautiful Day stamp set which I stamped and colored with my Distress Oxide inks and then fussy cut the images out.  I  ink blended a background with Distress Oxide inks to be the ombre sentiment strip stamped with my Clearly Besotted Simply Said stamp in black Versafine ink.  

For this one, I played with the placement of the strip, but I like the first one best.

Here I tried my hand at a bit of a round shape.  Not sure I like how it turned out, but it isn't awful so I kept the card.

For this last card, I stamped using Distress Oxide ink and my Simon Says Stamp You Are background stamp.  I was just playing around, but in the end I like how this one turned out too.  So much fun to be inspired by and challenged to use some of these older supplies.  I have one more post to edit and get up before I'm done with my capsule.  I've had a blast this month.

Love and Hugs

I mentioned in this post that my bestie and blog-sharer Brandy celebrated a birthday earlier this month.  It is a bit daunting having a bestie with such artistic talent.  This caused me to make a run at a couple different card designs and I'm sharing the results of those efforts.  These cards are beautiful, but they just didn't make the cut for my Brandy. Just a note - these cards are A7 sized.  A best friend deserves a little bigger card to celebrate her birthday!

I used Distress Oxides to stamp the individual flowers and then a colored pencil to add some color back into the blooms.  The card front was stamp and embossed with clear sparkle embossing powder to give a finished look.  A light brushed ink created a pale backdrop for the flowers.  This led to my last attempt.

For this card, I wanted a saturated backdrop and so I used a lot more color to blend.  In the end, I liked all three cards, but I liked the second design that I made more than that.  So, these go into the stash.

Have a Beautiful Day Notecard Set

I finally put one of my Simon Says Stamp card kits to good use with some Mother's Day cards this year.  A few pieces were leftover and so I put these cards together using those scraps.

These papers and images are so bright and vibrant, they make a great all occasion card.  They are cheerful and I'm so pleased with how easy they came together.

I'm entering this card into Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge Simon Says Anything Goes.

Graduation Card Using SSS Beautiful Day Stamp Set

Keeping with the graduation theme and using up some of the butterflies I made using my Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Day stamp set, I put together these cards with a graduation themed sentiment.  This sentiment stamp was what I used on my daughter's high school graduation card a couple of years ago.  I think it works beautifully as a graduation card, but also as a general notecard.

The patterned paper is from Lawn Fawn's Really Rainbow papers included in SSS's April 2018 card kit.  Whoa!  I just love the green and blue emphasis on this card!

So much fun.  There are still a few butterflies on the work bench.  I'll have to see what else I dream up to use them on.  Butterfly dreaming....

Mother's Day Cards Using SSS Beautiful Day Stamp Set

I finally (!) used my Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Day stamp set.  In fact, the patterned paper is from Lawn Fawn's Really Rainbow papers included in SSS's April 2018 card kit.  Yep, I'd not used them before now.  But, once I did, I went to town.

The butterflies and foliage were stamped onto Bristol cardstock and colored with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers.  They are so easy to create a bright and beautiful image which pairs magically with the patterned papers.

I've a few butterflies left over that I intend to put to good use on some graduation inspired cards.  So fun!  I'm linking this up to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge Simon Says Anything Goes.