A tree for all Seasons from Altenew

Hello, my Doodlebugs friends!  Michele here with a fun way to stretch your dies!  I recently added the gorgeous Chestnut Tree Layering Die set to my Altenew stash - what a gorgeous tree it is!  Something I regularly do when preparing to use my new goodies is to do a little research into the florals, or in this case, the Chestnut tree!  There are always gorgeous photos taken by wonderful photographers for reference.  The photos shared of Chestnuts were those taken in all seasons - a light bulb moment for my cards today.

Armed with lots of card stock, one sweet little pattern paper, and many of the dies* I've had on hand for years that can indicate snowy slopes, rolling hills, mountains and fields.  Are you ready?

Here they are before my cards came together.  

The Winter Chestnut was bare, and its branches were blanketed in snow.

Spring brings the sweet pink blossoms and the first few leaves.

In Summer the Chestnut is magnificent with rich greens and lush leaves.

Then Autumn turns all of its leaves stunning colors ranging from golden to deep russets!

Now, to take them to my cards - what a delightful day of play I had!

I kept the design the same and used color and texture to indicate what the landscape might look like during each season.  

Rolling hills and mountain tops blanketed in snow!  The sky is grey and the moon is huge!

In Spring each hill and valley is different because of the grass or crop.  We'll see more blue skies, and bright sunny days. 

Summer arrives and the crops are growing!

In the Fall, the leaves are brilliant and will soon be blanketing the earth!  The days are perfect for harvesting and sunsets are legendary!

I hope you've enjoyed my trees of all Seasons!  Have you missed the sentiments?  For this set of cards I will leave them off and allow the recipient of this gift to write their own message inside.

=] Michele

*note many of the stitching dies and embossing folders I've used are no longer available but don't let that stop you! Here are others to choose from!

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:  

How about a Masculine Birthday Card

 

I don't know about you but I struggle with masculine cards.  My Stepson's birthday was a couple weeks ago and I designed this one for him.  Hi, it's Amy Tsuruta and I'll be blogging every Thursday for Doodlebugs.

Who can resist a foodie card?  Personally my favorite kind of food is anything Asian so that's what is being served today:

• Lawn Fawn - Year Thirteen | stamp + lawn cut
• Lawn Fawn - Build-a-Barrel | Apple | lawn cut
• Mama Elephant - Oodles of Noodles | stamp + creative cuts
• Mama Elephant - Wishes Enclosed | stamp + creative cuts
• Pretty Pink Posh - Gift Card Bag | die

The images have been colored with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  The sentiment on the Gift Card Bag has been heat embossed.

The distress oxide blending is with the following colors on watercolor paper:

• Tumbled Glass
• Faded Jeans
• Ground Espresso

What are some of your masculine card tips?

Hope you're having a crafty week!

Amy

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:   

Hey You Page Huggers

 Happy Hump Day everyone! This is Amanda from Twiddler's Nook. I'm thrilled to be on the Doodlebugs blog again today with another sweet card using Mama Elephant stamps and dies. These Page Huggers released quite a while ago but are so adorable and very fun to create with!

Today I chose three out of the four critters in the set to stamp and color with my copic markers. At first I was going to have them each hold something different in their hands but that envelope is just so sweet, I went with happy mail from each of them instead. After coloring everything, I used the coordinating dies to cut them out.

Full transparency, I die cut the Six Window cover plate from white cardstock and then used distress oxide ink to add color. Highly recommend learning from me and inking your paper before die cutting. Lol! It's doable but it was a pain trying not to bend and fold the skinny parts between the windows.

I went with picked raspberry on the outer edge and kitsch flamingo for the center. Then I spritzed it with water and blotted it dry. 

Then, I took a white piece of cardstock and inked up lost shadow distress oxide behind the windows I wanted critters in. I mocked up my critters in the windows to see how things were looking and wanted more texture. So that's where I flicked lost shadow ink on the white panel before stamping sentiments in the open windows from  the To My Dearest stamp set.

Another funny for you and a way to salvage what might be lost. I had the tiny heart below "hey you" at the same time I was stamping the sentiments and I also had the grid window in place in my MISTI to make sure things lined up. Between inking the stamps and closing the lid, the heart fell and stamped on my pink panel. I almost lost it. But I took a breath and stared at it for a minute before thinking this could work. And now we have tiny hearts all over the cover panel.

Now we're finally ready for assembly. Glue the sentiment panel to a card base and add your critters to the open windows with liquid glue where you can. Then flip the window panel over and line it with foam strips and squares. Pop that in place on the card front and you're ready for finishing touches.

This is one of my favorite parts of creating a card. Things really come to life here. I added black glaze pen to all of their eyes and glossy accents to the critter noses and the hearts on the envelopes. Then at the very end I also added it to the heart under "hey you." It was the problem child after all so I thought it needed some extra attention.

I hope you enjoyed this creation and find some humor and comradery in my flubs. We all make them. You're not alone. Message me if you're ever having a moment. I'm happy to chat!

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Remember that if you use my link to make your first purchase with Doodlebugs, you get 15% off. Plus she's got crazy awesome free shipping thresholds, rewards program and AMAZING customer service! Click HERE to shop your heart out!

 

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:   

Another feathered friend!

Hello my friends!  Michele here, and I am so excited to introduce you to my latest feathered friend!  

This fabulous die from Honey Bee Stamps could easily be painted to be many different birds!  But for today, since we're watching Mama and Papa tending this season's nest, it had to be painted as an Eastern Bluebird!  

Meet Papa bird - who is so sweet to bring food to Mama and yes sits high atop the Maple in our back yard to watch for Tom to serve dinner!  I only wish I could twitch my nose and turn that Maple tree in a flowering Cherry!

My color was added with finger daubers today:  Blueprint Sketch for my Bluebird!

Isn't this Layered Cherry Blossom beautiful?  Behind it you'll spy the Pinkfresh Studio: Simply Diamonds [that I borrowed so many times from my friend - I had to make it my own!]

Behind THAT a panel of Honey Bee Stamps Grain & Grunge designer paper.

Last but not least another perfect sentiment from my much loved

My Favorite Flower - also from Honey Bee!   Today, I used one of the smallest of

Spellbinders' Essential Stylish Ovals to cut it - I can see this becoming a favorite die set -

SO many essential sizes!

I hope you like my Bluebird and Blossoms - and that you have a wonderful weekend!  Thanks for stopping by today!  We appreciate you!

=] Michele