Coffee Lovers Spring Blog Hop

How fun - another Coffee Lovers Blog Hop is under way, this time with a spring theme!  So I pulled out some bright & pretty papers and used the current Deconstructed Sketch to make my card:

Patterned papers are Lollydoodle; Cardstock is Cotton Candy, Pear, Juniper, Slate & White Daisy; Ink is Slate - all CTMH; Coffee die, Verve; Stamp sets are Better Together and Coffee, Verve.

The Challenge

I am in need of some birthday cards, so I'm using Lesley's great sketch & colour combo from The Challenge to add to my stash.  The 'rust' in the colour combo has become more of a dusty orange for me, but I think it still works.  I added some Wink of Stella to the butterfly to give it a little glimmer:

What a great sketch!  I may have to use it a few more times :o)

Patterned papers are Real Time2, Echo Park; Stamp sets are Better Together and Happy Thoughts, Verve; Dies are Sprightly Sprigs and Vintage Oval Frame Die by Verve and Pippi Butterfly, Memory Box;  Inks are Black and Honey, CTMH.

New Art Impressions Try-folds!

The Art Impressions Design Team are debuting four new Try-fold stamp sets today.  I have a wedding themed card with a matching gift bag and tag using Steeple TF Set (Sku #4578):

 Here is a photo of the card folded, and tied with organdy ribbon:

 When you untie the ribbon, both sides of the card fold out:

 I tried something new this time, I usually back the side pieces with white cardstock to hide the fact that the Copic markers bleed through the paper... but I used the patterned green paper that I mounted the base on - and I love the look!

 The stamp set comes with the three images and one sentiment "Blessings on this special day", and it includes all the instructions for you to stamp, fold and cut it accurately.  I also love that each of the images can be used individually, so I used the bench image to make a gift tag that I tied onto a matching bag made with my Gift Bag Punch Board:

Head on over to the Art Impressions blog to see what the other DT members have to share - and you can link up your creation for our challenge debuting today, called "Tie It Up" we want to see your creations that are tied up with ribbon or twine.

 Copics used: Greys are C7, C5, C3, C1, C00

Blues are B26, B24, B23, B21

Purples are V09, V06, V05, V04, V01

Pinks are R85, R83, R81

Greens are G46, G43, G40, YG03, YG01, YG67, YG63, YG61

Browns are E57, E55, E53, E51, E50

I Wuff You

It's my day to post on the Art Impressions blog!

I can't seem to stop using the sweet Zoo Babies stamps... today I'm sharing a card using Wuff Set (Sku #4532):

I love the sentiment that comes in the set "I Wuff You".

There is still time to join our Front & Back challenge - and we will have a brand new challenge on the blog on Thursday!  Happy stamping!

Copics used: E49, E57, E55, E53, E51, E50, R35, R32, R30

Birthday Front & Back

 Are you loving the newly released Art Impressions Front & Backs??  I am!  I have a sweet birthday card to share today using Eat Itself Set(Sku#4567):

 Don't forget that there are FOUR brand new F & B sets available in the Ai store - as well as the classic F & B sets and the Mini Front & Backs.  We would love to see you using them in our current "Front and Back Challenge" on the Ai blog.  Happy Stamping!

Copics used - Skin tones - E11, E00, E000, R20

Hair - E55, E53, E51

Pinks - R85, R83, R81

Yellows - Y26, Y23, Y21, YR12, Y13, Y11

Blues - B02, B01, B00, B000

Greys - W7, W5, W3, W1

Greens - G43, G40

Oranges - YR16, YR15, YR12

Paper Smooches Picture Perfect Challenge

I'm feeling quite pleased with myself... I needed to make a valentine for my husband, and became determined to participate in the current Paper Smooches Sparks challenge which is based on an inspiration photo.  The photo doesn't exactly have a masculine feel to it... but I at least managed to use all of the colours, turned it into a valentine and hopefully managed to keep it somewhat masculine.  Here's what I came up with:

Here is our inspiration photo:

I've had these little shiny gold clothespins for a while, so they've supplied the gold accent, and I used a little Wink of Stella on my cow, but it doesn't show in the photo.  I think my husband will like it!

Patterned papers are Head Over Heals, Bo Bunny; Stamp set is Chubby Chums, available at Paper Smooches; Cardstock is CTMH;

Front & Back Challenge

Hello!  We have a new challenge on the Art Impressions blog today which is a "Front & Back Challenge" - we want to see something on both the outside and inside of your cards.  If you have some of the wonderful Ai Front & Back images, even better!  AND - the design team is launching the first of the brand new 2015 Art Impressions images today - we have four brand new F & B sets for you.  I am sharing Any Cake Set (Sku #4569):

Aren't they cute??  Their little grins really make me smile... here's what their back view looks like on the inside:

And here are the sweet kitties in Purrr-thday Set (Sku#4568):

In order to be as accurate as possible, I actually looked up both cat and raccoon images online so that I could make them look realistic.  The fun part was making sure that I matched up the backsides of them when colouring.  Here's the inside:

These cute sets come with both the front & back images, as well as one sentiment.  And even though mine are cut out manually - Ai has DIES for them!!  To make my openings, I cut out die cut shapes with my Cricut, and then used an old Coluzzle template to cut the openings for them to peer through:

Head on over to the Art Impressions blog to see what the rest of the Design Team are sharing today, and be sure to enter our challenge!  I'll be back on Tuesday with another F&B card to show you.