It's a Pinkfresh Challenge

I've been enamored with Pinkfresh Studios papers lately and I just got a new 6x6 paper pack from the My Favorite Story collection and a pack of ephemera from the Some Days collection. The first thing I do when I buy a pack of die cuts is spread them all out to look at. This pack has lemons and florals and beautiful colors. After admiring them, I had to start using them. That meant I spent an evening playing around with the design and layers.

In this card, I used Newton's Nook dies for slimline cards and added the die cuts to each circle. I added pearls and called it a day.

This next one features a lot of the flower die cuts, matte enamel dot centers and silver corner stickers. The sentiment is also Pinkfresh and the paper is from the 6x6 pad.

The last one also uses a sheet of the 6x6 pad and I glued the wreath flat and adhered the die cut flowers on top with foam tape. I added the letter stickers and strip of stripes and silver line stickers. 

 

I still have ideas to use these die cuts for, and luckily you get a ton in the pack. I love 6x6 paper for the smaller patterns and the less expensive price point. I've got a million of them. What do you buy even though you have enough?

Happy Friday!

Chark

But, Lo, It Is The Day Of Our Man, Shakespeare

Today is celebrated as Shakespeare Day in many countries. Why April 23? Because it's the recorded day of his baptism and his death, some 52 years later in 1616. Shakespeare is one of those writers you either get or you don't. I happen to like his plays and since I skim when I read a lot of the time, I find Shakespeare is easier to comprehend this way. If you read each word, you'll get bogged down, so I highly suggest just trying to read most of it and skip some of it when it doesn't make sense.

get this cute poster here

As an English major in college, I read me some Shakespeare. And I even performed a scene from As You Like It in class with a partner. This was in the 80s when we didn't exactly have instant access to everything. We didn't even have all that many VCRs. I had never seen Shakespeare performed, so I had to go to the listening library, get some honking headphones and listen to an audio tape of the scene I was performing to get the cadence down. It went pretty well and I got an A...just in case you were wondering. 😀

Shakespeare is credited with coining many words and phrases that we still use today, including bandit, unaware, critic and swagger—along with green-eyed monster and in a pickle. If you look here, you can find a lot of great ways Shakespeare had his characters insult each other. From As You Like It, you'll find, "I desire that we be better strangers." Almost doesn't sound like an insult, does it?

If you like the Bard, you can pick up these fun products and more here.

I've a fairy card to share today, in honor of A Midsummer Night's Dream and the fairy realm. I used Bristol paper and Distress Oxide Inks to create the background and the oval die cut is the Floral Border from Hero Arts. The mini fairies are dies from Poppy Stamps. The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions. I added Stickles to the wings, but the photo doesn't show it. 

I'll leave you with a few of my favorite Shakespeare quotes. "Though she be but little, she is fierce." "Something wicked this way comes." "If music be the food of love, play on." And from A Midsummer Night's Dream, "Lord, what fools these mortals be."

Happy Friday to thee!

Chark

You Know I Like The Glitter

I recently went to a virtual Stampin' Up party and found the best glitter paper. It's rainbow ombre and it's actually a dull kind of glitter, as if it's encased in glue instead of on top of the paper. If you've tried the Distress Stickles, it's the same look. I had to make a bunch of cards with it and I also used it to photograph another card. I only have two 12x12 sheets, so you know I'll hoard even the scraps :)

On this card, I smooshed Distress Oxide on a panel and stamped a little bunny from Waffle Flower (Hoppy). I only used a strip of the glitter paper I had left over from trimming it down for another card. But wait, it gets better.

For this card, after I stamped and colored the flower stamp from Waffle Flower (Hoppy), I used the glitter paper for the background of the photo. Getting prettier, right?

This card uses the purple/blue/green portion and I only added the sentiment and a strip of black cardstock on the side. The sentiment is also Waffle Flower.

This one has to be my favorite, though of course, it's as simple as can be. The paper is the star here and I didn't even round the corners. 

See how stunning it is in the close up? I just love it.

If you're ever invited to a Stampin' Up party, I highly suggest this purchase. The glitter doesn't fall off and it's such a lovely ombre with the subtle glitter, I think you could use it on any card. Off to get my second vaccine—wish me luck!

Happy Friday!

Chark

Using My Stash Again

I've come to the realization that I am one of "those" crafters...I hoard my supplies. I buy pretty stuff, or cute stuff and then I just kind of look at it and store it...and I have some stamps and inks I haven't even used yet! When I first started in this hobby of scrapbooking and cardmaking, I knew everything I had, I only bought things when I needed to use them and never understood when someone accidentally bought something they already owned. Cut to ten years later and I am embarrassed to admit I have done this exact thing—horrors!

When I saw this meme, I had to share it...it's accurate...lolol. So, for World Cardmaking Day last week, I pulled out my bin of Pretty Little Studio products and used some of them to make a few cards. This one uses printed vellum, leaf printed cardstock and die cut flowers, along with some word stickers from PLS. The sequins are theirs too.

This next card I created for my sister-in-law...we're the same age and grew up in the 70s and 80s and I just know she got little gals like this vintage-looking one from PLS on her birthday cards when she was a kid. The doilies are printed vellum die cuts, and the paper and sentiment are PLS too.

The last card I made uses some different collections from Pretty Little Studio. I love their vintage stuff, but some of the newer and more modern pieces are so bright and colorful that I bought some of those too. Their printed vellum is absolutely my favorite. It's a nice, thick vellum and they have so many choices. These flowers are both die cuts and patterned paper that I trimmed. Don't you love the typewriter paper and the typewriter word vellum?

You might notice that I did no stamping on any of these cards, they are all die cuts and stickers. That makes things a little faster for me, as I'm not a talented stamper. I usually have to repeat a lot of it to get it right :) 

Hope you had a productive World Cardmaking Day too and that you have a chance to use up some of your never-before-used stash sometime soon.

Happy Friday!

Chark

Freebie Friday #3

If it's a Friday in November, it must be time for another giveaway just to say thanks to my crafty friends! This week's giveaway is full of Christmasy goodies, including a few lovely items from Pretty Little Studio like these die cuts and some red, green and gold trims and glittery sequins.

So, if you like free stuff, and Christmas, just leave me a comment here or head over to Instagram (clickable link on the right), and follow the instructions there. Deadline to enter is December 6, 11:59 pm Eastern time, 4 winners announced December 7 here and on IG.

I've got a little baby card I made for my daughter's coworker to share today. I went to my stash of die cuts/pocket scrapbook cards and put this together in no time. There's no stamping on this, but I did draw in a string to make the heart die cut into a balloon.

Happy Friday,

Chark

Shimmery Butterfly

I purchased the Stamplorations Butterfly die here and use it all the time. It's not too delicate (i.e., it doesn't tear when you cut it) and it's still intricate. I used a shimmery brown paper from my stash and made this lovely butterfly. I used a foiled star paper for the background, then layered a piece of kraft painted with metallic shimmer paint. The hello die is from Paper Smooches.

There's a lot of shimmery fun here and I'm entering this card in the Stamplorations Things with Wings challenge. You can enter too if you're quick!

Happy Wednesday!

Chark

Snow Anyone?

Plenty of snow in my yard and driveway—free to anyone who hauls it away! I know, it's January, in Ohio, stop complaining, right? It's really the bitter cold that's the problem...I'd rather do anything than errands right now. I know! I'll do a blog post!

Here's a card I made for a friend for New Year's. I'd like to be more organized and get my Christmas cards out before Christmas, but since that rarely happens, I have to send New Year's cards. I used my all-time favorite Hero Arts Triangle Die.

It covers the card front and is so versatile for masculine and feminine cards, plus I've used it to emboss and for stenciling too—just search my blog for "triangle die" and see how many times I've used this baby. It even got me published in Papercrafts magazine!

I used triangles from past die cutting to fill in some spots and found black, pink, aqua and silver pieces to insert. Then I added a little banner with silver mini alphabet letters. 

 

Inside, I used banners from and drew in the numbers and string with a sharpie. I'd like to do more with the inside of my cards this year. That's as close to a resolution as I'll make on New Year's. Now it's time to delay those frigid errands some more with cleaning out the craft closet. I mean, c'mon, it needs it! Please don't make me go outside! Cleaning is always good, right?! I knew you'd understand.

Have a Happy Wednesday!
Chark
p.s. if you want your own Triangle Die, go to the a2z Scrapbooking Supplies link here and use CHARK15 on your order to receive 15% off any $25 or more purchase!

Turkey Day Tomorrow!

The point of Thanksgiving to me is just to be thankful. I know a lot of people spend time with their families with traditional foods and activities and that seems like a brilliant idea. In that spirit, I'd like to say I'm grateful for everyone in my life, family, friends, fellow crafters and people who do their jobs to make my community a beautiful place to live. 

I'm also grateful for craft supplies and a way to channel my creativity. Here's a little hello card I made with acetate and alcohol inks. It says hello, but really it should say thanks today. I used a foil paper (DCWV) and alcohol inks for the hello die cut.

The background is the acetate sheet, alcohol inks and a Hero Arts arrow stencil.

And if you want to support small business, here's an adorable $5 digi stamp from this etsy shop. Go to printmagic and check out more!

Hope you have a gratifying Turkey Day!
Chark

His 'N Hers Birthday Cards

Here's a little sneak peek of my post on the a2z Scrapbooking Supplies blog today.

I made two cards with the same stencil for my niece and my nephew. It was fun! Don't forget, if you need some crafty goodies from a2z, you can use my code CHARK15 to get 15% off your order of $25 or more. Woohoo! Pluuussss, you can enter the November monthly challenge if you use a Hero Arts stamp and try to win a gift certificate to the store! 

Here's the Book Cover of the Week—haven't read it, but I want to because I like the cover!

Happy Monday!
Chark

Hiya, Girls!

I used the cutest die cut girls to make some tags and thought I'd share how they turned out. They're from Pretty Little Studio and I just love them so much. Their die cuts are vintage cuteness, don't ya think?

I used Canvas Corp black and ivory printed paper pad for the backgrounds and various distress inks to ink the edges. And then I added little bling bits to spice them up. These shiny hearts are Doodlebug Design.

They were fun to make and I'll probably use the them for gifts or cards. If I can part with them. I may need to buy more for myself. Luckily, they are inexpensive!

Happy Wednesday!
Chark