What is your favorite Susan's Garden Die

 Look at all these beautiful flowers that I created with the new Sizzix flower dies by Susan Tierney-Cockburn.   These dies are available at Joan's Gardens.  Joan and I are interested in knowing which flower is your favorite, so if you leave both of us a comment, a winner will be chosen, from a random drawing, and announced Wednesday morning.  The winner will receive the "Susan's Gardens" LEAVES set worth $18.99.  You can see this die set in Joan's post.

  All these flowers were very easy to create with Susan's new improved flower petals and tools. As I mentioned in a previous post, Susan Tierney-Cockburn designed the petals on the Punch Bunch punches we started creating flowers with.   All these dies come in a separate little plastic envelope for storage and with instructions. When you get your flower dies, I suggest you write the name of the flower on the back of each die, just in case you have more than one set open and get them mixed up.  There is a diagram of each die in the package on the back of the instruction sheet, but I found it a great help to have each die marked - I used a fine point Sharpie. I do want to mention again that the new Sizzix Flower Tool Kit that Susan designed is much improved over the old tool kit.  It has everything you need.  This kit has a special tool and pad just for adding a realistic look to your leaves and petals, that you did not get in the old kit. I will talk about some of the features of these tools in upcoming posts.

I can't tell you which one of these flowers is my favorite because I loved creating all of them. Which one is your favorite?  I created three different colors of the dogwood so thought I would start showing you my card collection featuring the white dogwood.

The background paper I used is from the Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" paper pad.  The border around the card was created with the Martha Stewart "Vintage Floral" punch set.  In the center of the card I placed the Spellbinders "Medallion One" doily and in the center of it I attached the Spellbinders "Lace Doily Motif".  The pretty dogwoods were created with the Sizzix "Susan's Garden Dogwood" die set.   Don't they look like real flowers!  The sentiment is from the Our Daily Bread "Birthday Blessings" stamp set.

I will be posting more cards this week showing off the beautiful flowers from "Susan's Garden" dies.  If you would like a chance to win the "Garden Leaves" die set, be sure to leave a comment blog on my blog below, and then go over to Joan's Gardens and leave a comment.  

Products used:

Sizzix "Susan's Garden" Dogwood  Flower die set 658405

Sizzix "Flower Tool Kit"

Viva Decor "Paper Pen Green" #703

Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" design paper 8x8 pad

Spellbinders "Medallion One" S2-014

Spellbinders "Lace Doily Motifs" S5-063

Martha Stewart "Vintage Floral corner/border punches

Our Daily Bread "Birthday Blessings" stamp set #D301

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Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

I know I am a day late with my card for the new challenge at Joan's Gardens but Joan has posted a very fun challenge for us.   For an update, my husband is out of the hospital and is now recovering at home.  I still have a lot of doctor/treatment appointments and I'm not always able to spend a lot of hours creating, but things are getting better.  I want to thank all of you for your well wishes.

Joan's challenge this week is to:

• Create an outdoors scene
• Create a birthday card

Please go over to Joan's Gardens to see Joan's fabulous card and to read all the details about this challenge.

To create my outdoors scene, I used the new Poppy Stamps "Madison House Set".   This set includes a door, window, flower box, ledge, roof, and roof line, so there are lots of possibilities creating with this die set.  The pieces were die cut using black card stock then were attached to a piece of dark brown card stock that was embossed with the Sizzix "Bricked" embossing folder.  The curtains were die cut using the new Poppy Stamps "Lace  Curtains" die.  I only used a small portion of the curtains in these windows.  The die includes a valance and the two side panel curtains and you can use these curtains on a much larger window.

The background is a page from the Memory Box "Brioche" 6x6 paper collection.  The fence was die cut using the Impression Obsession "fence". The grass was die cut using the MFT "Fresh Cut Grass" die and the little flowers were die cut using the Memory Box "Floral Delights" die.  To create the yellow flower, I used the Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower #2" dies and Embellishments.  The additional leaves under the flower were die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip".   

I hope you will join in on the fun challenge this week at Joan's Gardens. 

All these products can be purchased from Joan's Gardens:

Poppy Stamps "Madison House Set" (883)

Poppy Stamps "Lacy Curtains" (868)

Memory Box "Floral Delights" (98349)

Memory Box "Brioche" 6x6 paper collection

Our Daily Bread "Birthday Blessings"  (#D301)

Sizzix "Bricked" embossing folder

Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower #2"

Cheery Lynn "Embellishments #2)

Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip" (B178)

Impression Obsession "fence" (004-J)

MFT  "Fresh Cut Grass"

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Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

It is time for a new challenge over at Joan's Gardens.  The week you are to create a card as follows:

Use Blue, White and Green

Use a Flower that has a pattern

Use an Oval

Use a stamped sentiment

For my card I used a piece of design paper from the "Reflections Collections 6x6" pad by Prima.   The ovals are two dies from the Marianne Design LR0235 die set. Dimensional tape was used under both of the ovals to give it some dimension.  The sentiment is from the Our Daily Bread "Birthday Blessings" stamp set.  The rose was created with the same design paper as the background. I used the MFT "Royal Rolled Rose" die.   Behind it I added pieces from the new Memory Box "Bali Corner".  It was cut twice  and the flowers were cut off the stem from a die cut using blue and white design paper. 

On the left of the oval I added three of the Memory Box "Hollyhock Stems".  I used a piece of green card stock and a piece of design paper layered together for each stem so I could cut off the flowers and attach them to the green stem.  Kaiser Craft blue pearls were added to the center of the flowers.

Marianne Design "Oval Doily" die set (LR0235)

Our Daily Bread "Birthday Blessings" stamp set (D301)

MFT "Royal Rolled Rose"

Memory Box "Bali Corner" 98487

Memory Box "Hollyhock Stem" 98512

Kaiser Craft Blue Pearls

Reflections Collection 6x6" paper pad by Prima

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Walk in God's Beauty & Love

Are you ready for Spring to arrive?  We still have a foot of snow and I am ready for the sun to shine and all the Spring flowers to start blooming.  Today I created a card with some dies I have not used yet.  The design paper is from the Memory Box "Brioche" 6x6 inch paper pad.  The flowers were created with all three dies in the Memory Box " Cherry Blossom" die set.  I know -- cherry blossoms are not blue, but since I have been using so much pink I thought I would go wild and use blue.  The flowers were die cut using white card stock then sponged in the center with "Antique Linen" Distress Ink then "Stormy Sky" Distress Ink was sponged over the rest of each petal.  To give a little more accent to the edges of the petals, I sponged on "Faded Jeans" Distress Ink.  I love how all these inks blend together to well.  In the very center I added the little "star" die cut from this set that was sponged with "Tea Dye" Distress Ink. The stamen from this set was sponged with Tea Dye Ink then on the round ends, I added ink from the Ranger "Perfect Medium" pen and dipped them in Ranger "Vintage Photo" Distress Embossing Powder.  I really like how the Distress Embossing Powder made the end of the stamens look realistic. This was done to both sides of the stamen and was heat set. A tiny brown Kaiser Craft pearl was added to the center of each flower.

The leaves behind the flowers were die cut using the Heartfelt Creation "Delicate Asters" leaf die.  I love the shape of these leaves.  The little filler behind the flowers and leaves are the Memory Box "Flutter Vine".  

The butterfly is new by Joy! Crafts.  I die cut it using blue card stock and added some Blue Distress Ink for shaping.  Behind the butterfly I added a piece of "Black Iris" Shimmer Sheetz.  It was hard to get a picture showing all the different colors in the Shimmer Sheetz, but it is beautiful behind this delicate butterfly.  There is purple, blue, gold, and green in the "Black Iris" Shimmer Sheetz.    The butterfly was attached with a dimensional glue dot.  The sentiment is from the Our Daily Bread "Sentiments Collection".  I thought this sentiment was perfect for this card.

Hope you are having a great weekend.  Maybe you are having much warmer weather than we are!

YMemory Box ""Brioche" 6"x6" paper pad

Memory Box "Cherry Blossom" dies (98316)

Memory Box "Flutter Vine" (98334)

Heartfelt Creations "Delicate Asters" dies

Joy! Crafts "Butterfly" (6003/0006)

Shimmer Sheetz "Black Iris"

Our Daily Bread "Sentiments Collection"

Kaiser Craft Brown Pearls

Ranger "Perfect Medium" Pen

Ranger "Vintage Photo" Distress Embossing Powder

Distress Inks "Antique Linen, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Tea Dye"

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Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

Valentine's Day is fast approaching so this week at Joan's Gardens, our challenge is to create a Valentine for someone special. 

Here are the requirements for this challenge:

• Use pink and white 
• Use at least one heart
• Use a pretty border

For my Valentine, I chose to use the new Memory Box "Bingham Heart".  I love the dainty details in this heart.  It was die cut using green card stock then again using pink.  All the little pink flowers were sniped off and glued onto the green heart.  I die cut a solid heart using the MFT "Layered Heart" die and glued the Bingham Heart along the edges.  The reason I die cut the solid heart is because the background piece was embossed with the eBosser "Gracious Argyle" embossing folder and it would have been hard to stamp the pretty sentiment from the Our Daily Bread "Sentiments Collection" on the embossing.  On the Left side of the card I added the Memory Box "Contempo Circle Border".  In the right side corners, I added a Cheery Lynn die cut corner.  When I stamped the sentiment, the little hearts were outlined in black, so I used the Martha Stewart "Loops Heart" corner punch to get the little pink hearts to glue in the center of the three hearts stamped in the sentiment.  The three little hearts from that punch fit perfectly.  To complete the card, I added Kaiser Craft pink rhinestones along the left side and in the center of the flowers.  

I hope you will join us in our challenge this week.  I am sure there is someone special you who would love to receive a Valentine from you.  

Memory Box Bingham Heart (98499)

Memory Box Contempo Circle Border (98451)

MFT Die-namics Layered Heart

eBosser "Gracious Argyle" embossing folder

Cheery Lynn Corner (B164)

Our Daily Bread "Sentiments Collection" (E334)

Martha Stewart "Loops Heart" corner punch for small hearts on sentiment.

Kaiser Craft Rhinestones 

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Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

It is time for the first weekly challenge at Joan's Garden..  We would like for you to create a Thank You card using blue and white for the main colors.  Please go over to Joan's Gardens for all the challenge rules and to see what the prize for this week will be.  While you are there, be sure to check out all the new products Joan has posted.

I received the prettiest new dies from Joan's Gardens that I love.  The corners and center flourish on this card were die cut using Joy! Crafts dies.  Aren't they gorgeous! There is also a beautiful doily that matches these dies.  I used a scrap piece of blue and white polka dot design paper for the background on this 5.5" x 6" card.  The little rose was created with the Spellbinders "Bitty Blossoms" die.  It was die cut using aqua card stock, then to give it texture, I sponged on "Peacock Feathers" Distress Ink on the edges then spritzed it with Ranger "Blue Patina" Perfect Pearls.  The small leaves were die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip".  

The sentiments are both from the Our Daily Bread "Thank You Sentiments" stamp set.  The top sentiment reads "You bless me!" and the lower sentiment reads "Thank you for your thoughtfulness!"   They were stamped using VersaMark Ink and white embossed.  To complete the card I added white Kaiser Craft Pearls.  

Joy! Crafts "corners" 6002/0135

Joy! Crafts "flourish" 6002/0149

Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip" (B178)

Spellbinders "Bitty Blossoms" (S5-086)

Our Daily Bread "Thank You Sentiments" (E357)

Kaiser Craft White Pearls

VersaMark Ink

Ranger Detail White Embossing Powder

Ranger Peacock Feathers Distress Ink (on flower)

Ranger Perfect Pearls "Blue Patina" (on flower)

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I went out to find a Friend

Hi all my blogging friends.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.  We had a very white Christmas and and wonderful time with our family.  I want to thank all of you who sent birthday cards and birthday wishes.  I loved receiving all of them. 

I want to congratulate Sharon, from Huntsville, Arkansas.  Her name was drawn from all the winners from the weekly challenge at Joan's Gardens this year.  Wow!  how fun to win a $100 Gift Certificate to Joan's Gardens.  Joan and I love seeing all your beautiful cards and projects in our weekly challenges.  

 I have not been very busy in my craft room during the holiday but today I decided to use  some new dies I recently received from Joan's Gardens.  I love to create very different cards and some of the Sizzix dies are real help.  For this card I used the Sizzix "Album - Accordion Fold 3-D Frame" for this four panel card. 

 When you close the card, it is only 4 3/4" square so is very easy to mail.  

There are a lot of different ways to use this die.  It die cuts the squares and you can attach as many as you want and be very creative. I used Scor-Tape to connect each frame.

I used two coordinating Sizzix dies to create this card.  I used the Accordion Fold 3-D frame and the Sizzix "Frame & Label, Bracket" die to cover the frame and use the center die cut.  This die cuts four separate pieces that can be used on the 3-D frame.  Above is a picture of the two dies.

To decorate the 3-D frame, I used two different Marianne Design die cut flowers for the outside panels. These are new dies from Joan's Gardens. On the second panel I black embossed one of the sentiments from Our Daily Bread "Faithful Friend" stamp set.  It reads:  I went out to find a Friend, but could not find one there. I went out to be a Friend, and friends were everywhere!"  On the third panel I white embossed one of the stamps from the Our Daily Bread "Bird, Borders & Corners" stamp set.  

Sizzix "Album, Accordian Fold 3-D Frame" (658035)

Sixxix "Frame & Label, Bracket" (658037)

Marianne Design "Flower" (LR0248)

Marianne Design "Flower" (LR0250)

Our Daily Bread "Faithful Friend" stamp set (E329)

Our Daily Bread "Bird Borders & Corners" (D216)

Scor-Tape

831944

Friends

 

I want to wish all my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas.  I have received cards from around the world and want to thank you for all your gorgeous creations.  I cherish each and every one of them.  Are you all ready for Christmas Day?  I have been having lots of fun with all my grandkids, my son and daughter.   We have over a foot of snow and the grandkids from San Diego are having so much fun in the snow.  They helped grandpa clean off the driveways then played in the huge piles of snow.  This is my favorite time of the year.  

This is a 5x7 inch card.  I used the new Joy! Crafts Corners in on the top of the card.  In the  center of the card is the new Joy! Crafts Doily.  Within this doily I added one of the My Favorite Things "Decorative Ovals Doily Duo" die cuts.   The sentiment is from the Our Daily Bread "Sentiments Collection"; it was silver embossed.  The sentiment reads "Friends are Kisses Blown to us by Angles".    I had a piece of design paper that has silver embossing on the background, so have coordinated things to match.  The sentiment was attached with dimensional tape.

Below the Joy! Crafts doily, I added the Joy! Crafts "Flourish", which ended up being mostly covered up, but it is a beautiful flourish.  The roses were created with the Spellbinders "Bitty Blossoms" dies; they were sponged with Spun Sugar Distress Ink prior to rolling them.  The pretty leaves behind the roses are the Joy! Crafts Leaves.  I added some Encore silver ink and silver embossed them.  The pretty silver flourish is the Memory Box "Elegant  Scrollwork" flourish; it was die cut using mirror silver card stock.  Two flourishes were die cut, cut a part, then tucked in behind the flowers.  A few Cheery Lynn "Wreath Strip" pieces were also die cut using the silver mirror card stock and tucked in.  To add a little more elegance to the card, I added white Kaiser Craft Pearls.

Joy! Crafts "Corners" (6002.0135)

Joy! Crafts "Doily" (6002/0147)

Joy! Crafts "Flourish" (6002/0149)

Spellbinders "Bitty Blossoms" (S5-086)

Memory Box "Elegant Scrollwork" (98153)

Our Daily Bread "Sentiments Collection" (E334) (not yet on blog at Joan's Gardens)

My Favorite Things "Decorative Ovals Doily Duo"

Mirror Silver Card Stock

Cheery Lynn "Wreath Strip" (B216)

Kaiser Craft Pearls

Ranger Detail Silver Embossing Powder

Spun Sugar Distress Ink

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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