mft color challenge 208

Are you looking for a fun creative jumpstart on this little Friday (also known as Thursday)? Well I suggest joining in the latest MFT Color Challenge!

Check out this pretty pastel palette...

Here's the card I created...

I love these colors so much and I really wanted to focus on them so I used a brayer to apply each color of ink to a piece of white cardstock.

I love how artistic I feel when I make a background with a brayer! It's like an abstract painting!

I used the Bold Happy Birthday die to cut the panel, saving the letters for another project and using the negative die cut by adhering the panel to a white card. I love the white letters showing through.

I added a little sentiment from the Itty Bitty Celebrations set and little faux black splatter with a pen.

I hope you are inspired to join in this color challenge! Pop over to the MFT blog to learn more and thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugs!

Carly

easy alcohol ink easter cards + cardmaking video

I'm excited to be sharing a new cardmaking video on the Ellen Hutson YT channel today and I would love it if you stopped by to watch!

Hugs!!!

Carly

sending smiles shaker card + pretty pink posh blog hop day 2

Spring is in the air and in the new Pretty Pink Posh release!!! And I'm thrilled to be joining in day 2 of the PPP March release hop!

Before I show you want I made, there's more fun! There are 3 $25 gift certificates to Pretty Pink Posh up for grabs! Enter to win by leaving comments along the hop by 11:59pm PST of March 14th, 2022. The winners will be announced on the PPP blog.

Now let's talk about my latest shaker card!

You know I LOVE a shaker and PPP always has the cutest shaker bits! I'm smitten with the new Pastel Swirls Clay Confetti. I planned the whole color palette for my card to match.

To cut the shaker window I used the Smile Shaker die. It gave it a great scalloped edge that matched the umbrella from the Spring Chicks set.

I used white glitter paper that I ink blended blue for the background of the shaker. I love ink blending on glitter paper! I recommend using dye inks & blending brushes (over pigment inks & blending sponges).

The Spring Chicks set is so darling and really fun to color! Here are the colors I used:

• chicks - Y15, Y13, Y11 & YR02
• umbrella, boots & raincoat - RV55, RV52 & E34

Your next stop on the hop is Jeannie Lieu's blog and I know she's going to make something bananas good!!! And here's the whole hop list if you need it...

Pretty Pink Posh blog 
Wanda Guess
Lynn Put
Raquel Arribas
Carly Minner
Jeannie Lieu
Stefanie Loh
Lisa Mears

Thanks so much for hopping with us! Hugs!!!

Carly

pawty time with mft stamps

The MFT Stamps March 2023 release is available now so let's pawty!!! And by that, I of course mean let's make cards!

This birthday card is perfect for the dog lovers in my life! I stamped, cut and colored a pup from the ADORABLE Presents and Pupcakes set.

I love to combine stamped & die cut sentiments so I often use alphabet dies to cut a word from one of the sentiment stamps. Then I mask the sentiment to stamp it selectively and then replace the missing word with the die cut one. Was that a confusing explanation? LOL!

In this case I masked the "let's pawty like it's your birthday" to only stamp "it's your birthday". 

I made the die cut "pawty" by ink blending Distress Ink Carved Pumpkin on white cardstock, placing the Diagonal Stripes stencil over it and blending more Pumpkin ink. Then I die cut the letters with my favorite alphabet set, Modern Serif Alphabet. I decided to give the word a little more dimension by cutting two more of each letter and adhering them together.

Make sure to pop over to the MFT blog to see more of the new release!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

mft stamps march release countdown day 1

There's only one more day until the MFT Stamps March release and if you've been counting down with us, you know it is a fantastic release! Today I want to share a card that has the perfect sentiment!

Sometimes I think a sentiment stamp is so perfect that it makes the card! "Thank You for Your Kindness" from A Big Thank You is one of those stamps!

To keep the card really clean and simple, I used the heart die from the Keep On Rockin set to cut a few hearts from a white panel. I adhered some marbled paper (more on that soon) beneath.

I stamped the sentiment in black ink and added a little faux black splatter with a pen.

Thanks for stopping by! You can find more peeks of the MFT March release on their blog!

Have a great day!

Carly

mft stamps march release countdown day 2

The MFT Stamps countdown continues today with a set I think is out of this world!

When a stamp set is called Best Friends In The Galaxy, you know you're going to need a little ink blended space!

I used a circle stencil and started by blending a little Kitsch Flamingo & Salvaged Patina Distress Oxide inks. I added Blueprint Sketch on top. Then I sprayed it with a bit of clean water and dabbed it with a paper towel to lift a little ink. I love the dreamy, spacey result!

I added a stamped, die cut and colored panda & moon on top.

I curved the sentiment stamp on my stamping tool before stamping it around the galaxy.

Pop over to the MFT blog when you have a minute to see more of the March release.

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

silly mft hot dog + mft stamps march release countdown day 3

As we continue the countdown to the MFT Stamps March 2023 release, I've got a silly card to share with you featuring the adorable new Hot Dog set.

I would say this goofy card is a perfect example of stretching your stamps, LOL!

I wanted my little dog to look like he was wrapping around the card so I stamped his backside on the bottom left, his front side on the middle right and then I created the middle with a borrowed lift line from the Alpine Friends. I just stretched the stamp a little bit on my stamping tool to make the line straighter.

I struggled with coloring the pup so I decided to selectively color just his ear, collar and shirt.

Thanks for stopping by! You can find more peeks at the MFT March release on their blog!

Have a great day!

Carly

mft stamps march release countdown day 4

We're counting down the days until the March release from MFT Stamps and today I'm excited to talk about a new die set I'm smitten with...Blueprints 26!

MFT says their Blueprints sets are foundations for creativity and I think they are right!!! There are 8 dies in the set but the "happy" and "birthday" are my favorite!

I love how the "birthday" cuts with the bottom attached!!! I die cut it from a white cardstock and paired it with a sentiment from Itty Bitty Celebrations. 

I die cut the "happy" from black cardstock and then adhered it to the back of "birthday".

Then I adhered the whole things to a card where I had watercolored a rainbow and topped it with glitter paste. The pictures really don't show off how sparkly it is!

Pop over to the MFT blog when you have a minute to see more of the March release.

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

counting down to the mft march 2023 release

MFT Stamps has an adorable new release coming soon and I'm lucky enough to get to countdown the days by sharing some cards I've been crafting!

This card couldn't be easier! I used one of my current cardstock obsessions (Princess Pink) for the folded card. 

I stamped the "hello doll face" sentiment from the Glam Fund set in two parts. First I masked the "doll face" with a piece of low-tack tape directly on the stamp, inked "hello" with black, removed the tape and stamped it on the card. 

Then I repeated the masking technique to stamp "doll face" in Distress Oxide Lumberjack Plaid.

I added a cute little die cut lipstick from the Iconic Beauty set.

Thanks for stopping by! You can find more peeks at the MFT March release on their blog!

Have a great day!

Carly

easter garland with essentials by ellen

I'm over on the Ellen Hutson blog today with an easy DIY Easter Garland! I would love it if you stopped by!!!

Hugs!

Carly

mft serenity now card kit

The MFT Serenity Now Card Kit is HERE! It's a collection of relaxing stamps and dies, perfect for the friend who needs a little serenity! I'm looking at you, other toddler parents, LOL!

In fact I must have been thinking of other tired parents when I made this card because for my next birthday I would love a comfy robe and a nap!

For this card I used the robe die from the Dry Bar set, cutting it from white cardstock. I colored it with Copic Markers V01 and RV02.

Then I paired it with one of my favorite phrase dies, Bold Happy Birthday. I die cut it from MFT Cotton Candy cardstock panel and then adhered the panel to a folded white card, adding the letter middles back in.

And I completed the sentiment with "take time to unwind" from the Time To Unwind stamp set.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have time to pop over to the MFT blog to check out more cards made with the kit!

Hugs!

Carly

rubber ducky shaker card with mft

I love a good shaker card! And I love to use little dies to make shaker bits like these rubber duckies from the MFT Serenity Now Card Kit (coming out this Tuesday)!

To make the shaker bits I cut two ducks for each shaker bit from white cardstock. I colored one yellow then added a little orange on for the bill & a black dot for the eye. 

Then I adhered the colored duck to a plain white one. Aren't they cute?!

Head over the the MFT blog to learn more about the Serenity Now Card Kit and see more cardmaking ideas!

Hugs!

Carly

a relaxing new card kit

Crafting is already my favorite way to relax but the new MFT Stamps card kit takes it to a whole new level! Let me give you a little peek of the Serenity Now Card Kit (coming out on Tuesday)...

After making this card I really want to paint a bathroom in my new house pink! And MFT's Princess Pink might be the perfect shade!

Pop over to the MFT blog to learn more about the Serenity Now Card Kit and stay tuned for more relaxing card ideas this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

mft color challenge 206

I have a few colors I use over & over again when cardmaking...and while I adore them and I'm not going to stop using them any time soon...it's fun to be challenged to use new colors sometimes. And that's where the MFT Color Challenge comes in!

The latest Color Challenge starts today and here's the color palette...

Here's the card I created...

I love, love, love this bloom from the Fundamental Florals set! I die cut it from Grapesicle cardstock and then used a blending brush to add Grape Jelly ink.

The leaves are from the Complementary Greenery die set. I cut them from Sno Cone cardstock and then added Caribbean Sea & Summer Splash inks with blending brushes.

After the blooms were assembled (with black & white middles and leaves), I adhered them to a rectangle of Chantilly Cream cardstock. I added a little sentiment from Itty Bitty Thanks set and then adhered the rectangle to a folded white card.

I hope you are inspired to join in this color challenge! Pop over to the MFT blog to learn more and thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugs!

Carly

mft sketch challenge 633

It's time for my favorite mid-week boost...the Weekly Sketch Challenge on the MFT Stamps blog!

Here's this week's sketch...

And here's the card I made...

I love the notebook page in the sketch and I thought it would be fun to create a sort of "sketchpad" for my card.

I used the Notebook Edge die on a piece of watercolor paper and then stamped the bouquet from the Gathered with Love set in light colored waterproof ink.

The I watercolored a couple of the blooms with Distress Ink Worn Lipstick and Kitsch Flamingo reinkers.

After adhering the "sketchpad page" to a kraft card, I added a little matching paintbrush from the Just Add Paint die set. I die cut the brush from white cardstock and then colored it with Copic markers (with a little Distress ink watercolor on the "bristles").

I hope you are inspired to join this week's MFT sketch challenge! You can find all the info HERE on their blog.

Hugs!

Carly

another mft video

Did you catch my latest video on the MFT YouTube channel? I would LOVE it if you stopped by to watch!

Hugs!

Carly

love you card video

I'm over on the MFT Stamps YT channel today with a quick cardmaking video. I would LOVE it if you stopped by to watch!

Hugs!

Carly

mft january vault release

MFT has rescued some of their fabulous classic stamps & dies from the retirement vault and they are available in the shop NOW! 

I know you can't wait to check it out but before you run off to shop, I've got a card to share with you...

I love a stitched background so I used the rectangle from the Blueprints 25 to die cut a white panel and adhered it to a folded card.

I paired the stems from Fresh Cut Flowers set with the hearts from the Mason Jar set.

I like to die cut everything from white cardstock and then color with Copic markers. I used R37, R35, YG11 & G00.

I finished the super simple design with a little faux black splatter (with a pen).

Thanks so much for stopping by! Make sure you head over to the MFT shop to snap up all the vault goodies!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

one day left until the mft january vault release

Have you heard the news that MFT Stamps is opening their vault to release some of their most loved retired stamps & dies?

The vault stamps and dies are so fun! Here's a little peek...

For this card I used the X's And O's Background. I stamped and embossed it on smooth watercolor cardstock. Then I did some easy watercoloring with Distress Inks.

The rainbow-y background made the perfect canvas for the adorable label strips made with the classic Label Maker Love & Label Tape. I forgot how much I loved the look of little label tapes!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and if you have time, over to the MFT blog to see more of what is coming tomorrow!

Hugs!

Carly

something sweet is coming from mft

Don't you hate it when you see an adorable card design that you have to make but the stamps & dies for it are retired?! Me too! But I have good news...MFT Stamps is opening the "vault" to bring some of their most sought-after classic out of retirement!

Today I've got a little peek at what will be available on the 31st...

I can't resist a cute citrus slice so when I saw the Mason Jar Mug die set, I was delighted!

As I often do, I cut a bunch from white cardstock and then colored the background layers with Copic markers. I used YG01, Y02, R22, R20 and YR01.

I loved them so much that I tried to fit as many as possible on my card front by creating a grid. If you look closely, it probably isn't super symmetrical but it was sure fun to make!

In the bottom right corner I stamped a sentiment from the Mason Jar Labels set in black and then added a little faux black splatter with a pen.

Thanks so much for stopping by and if you have time, over to the MFT blog to see more of what is coming on Tuesday!

Hugs!

Carly