clair087

Good Morning! Many of the cards I've been gravitating towards lately are all about gratitude.  It's so easy to forget how much one has to be thankful for when life is not so easy.  But just like a rainbow, emerging through the clouds and rain, so does a grateful heart in times of difficulty. And just like a rainbow, gratitude has the power to brighten a cloudy day like nothing else!  Especially with the help of a pile of colorful pumpkins at the end :)  Before I get to my card, I want to take just a second to thank you all for your patience with my pre-scheduled posts as these last few weeks passed by. And for still visiting this lil' blog in my absence! I apologize that I have not been able to get back to you all just yet - I'm definitely working on that as we speak. Things are a little bit better now for me health wise, so I'm going to try and be more present in blogland in the coming weeks. Thank you all so much for your support and love! It means so much to me!...

Good Morning!  It's no secret I love pastels and soft colors, but I also adore bold, bright hues, and at times, a more muted palette. The thing I really struggle with, is mixing them all! So today's card is all about that and a couple of little tips I've picked up along the way in making different color families come together. Altenew SALE Before we get to the card, I wanted to share that this sweet stamp set is currently a part of a huge sale on SB.com - most Altenew stamps and dies are 20% off or more, meaning this gorgeous (and really large) stamp set is under $18! You can use my link here or use the link provided in the supplies list below. The sale is valid until midnight Thursday, September 20th! Happy Shopping! *** To start today's card, I used PTI's Tag Sale Quilted die to cut out the scalloped tag. I used Altenew's gorgeous Peony Bouquet stamps for all of the floral stamping. I love that this set combines outline, fill and shading options for each fl...

If given a choice, I would add a bow to every card! And when I have the chance to make a card full of bows, I'm all over that. Today, I did just that with an early festive card :) This little number was super easy to pull together if you have a stamp and die bow but you could easily use sticker bows, felt bows, ribbon bows, or really any other type of bow you can get your hands on! Of course, depending on the material, your card may be more dimensional, but it would be just as fun and whimsical! To start my card, I used a pretty pattern paper from Pinkfresh Studio's Let your Heart Decide collection  for the base. Such a beautiful little pad of paper!  For the bows, I used Pinkfresh Studio's Great Joy stamp and die set and PTI ink colors in hues of Melon Berry, Green Parakeet, Blueberry Sky, Hibiscus Burst, Orange Zest, and Hawaiian Shores. I used the lovely Queen and Company Circle Shaped Shaker set to create the sweet shaker, and filled it with candy colored sequins, rh...

Well today's card is a wee departure for me! No fancy bows, no patterned papers, no buttons and little texture... Okay I lied on the texture part :)  The focal feature of this card is a technique I love so much. It's one of my favorite ways to play with ink blending! So many talented artists use it beautifully, so this is just my little take. I love the dimension it achieves, without too many fussy layers. First Layer To start, I used a card base and blended five colors, one on each quadrant of the card and one transition color in between. I used Pale Peony on the top left, Hawaiian Shores on the top right, and Bright Buttercup in between. For the bottom, I used Pale Peony on the left, Bright Buttercup in the middle and Spring Moss on the right.  Second Layer   This is where the fun begins! I used PTI's heartburst stencil from the Sunshine and Rainbows kit, and used intensified versions of the colors below to accentuate the rays. On the top left I used Raspberry Fiz...

In light of the challenges this year has brought, we've been blessed with more comforting words, hugs, and small acts of kindness than we could have ever known was possible. From meals, to rides, to medical research, to thoughtful notes and and flowers...We've been showered with so much love.  For this, our hearts are grateful beyond measure. Sharing a little card today created with a full and thankful heart for the many blessings in our life.   To start this card, I used a variety of Archival inks ( Chrome Yellow , Bright Tangelo ,  Tea Rose, Violet , Leaf Green , Viridian, Sap Green) to stamp a floral design with 1canoe2's Twilight stamp set . I concentrated on the edges of the card for the stamping, and used an oval scallop to cut out the center of the card. At the top of the card, I added a tiny bloomer ribbon, and some sequins as well as iridescent rhinestones throughout. For the sentiment, I used PTI's  Limitless Layers: Hearts dies  to cut a vellum h...

Hiya Friends!  Even though we're still in the thick of Summer, a few turning leaves bring on thoughts of Autumn. Before we know it, the days will be shorter and the air crisper, and even though Summer is welcome here for as long as it will stay, I do love the changes that Autumn brings about.  Today's tag is a super simple little piece! It was inspired by Melissa's sweet pastel pumpkin card over on the PTI blog . Her pink pumpkin especially caught my eye! You can check it out here . I started this tag with PTI's Tag Sale Quilted die, and used my newest favorite Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp set to create a colorful background. Altenew SALE This beautiful stamp set is currently a part of a huge sale on SB.com - most Altenew stamps and dies are 20% off or more, meaning this gorgeous (and really large) stamp set is under $18! You can use my link above or use the link provided in the supplies list below. The sale is valid until midnight Thursday, September 20th! Happy Shopp...

Our neighbors are embarking on a long-awaited adventure. While making this little card for them, it got me thinking about the many ways we travel through life. We are not meant to be static or still, we are meant to move forward and be ever-changing. Where with each new step, comes a new adventure, a new learning opportunity or a new outlook. Even when the journey is not pleasant, remembering that the true purpose of every step is growth, is often all it takes to being able to ride out the bumps and focus on the view ahead. And if all else fails, at the very least, take away a meaningful lesson ;) More often than not, each journey is the exact path we need to be on at that very moment, and if we look closely enough, we can see the opportunity that lies within. To start this teeny card, I used a duo of patterns, both colorful and joyous, and a sweet little die-cut doily, using PTI's Parisian Lace Doily  and Pink Paislee's Turn the Page paper . The wee caravans are from American ...

Hello! Popping in quickly to share a little card for my wonderful dentist and his very special team of people who have been taking care of my smile for many years. From the first visit, to each subsequent one, I've had nothing but wonderful experiences. Aside from all of the laughs and an abundance of humor, my dentist is incredibly compassionate, knowledgeable and very skilled. His utmost goal is the comfort and joy of his patients and it really shows. You know you've got one splendid team when you can't wait for your next visit! There are no words that can capture the sheer gratitude I feel for all the wonderful care I've received over the years, but today's card is tiny way of saying thanks. To start this card, I used a few layers of patterned papers to create a soft, but colorful background. I know bicycles have nothing to do with teeth, except that they're fun, whimsical and usually make people smile! Just below the patterned papers, I added a velvet ribbo...